HIGH POINT, N.C. – High Point University men's cross country opens the season on Friday, September 4, at 8:45 p.m., when the Panthers compete at Elon University's Cross Country Opener.
 
Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Remy Tamer: "With this first meet, we are looking forward to competing with some of the younger guys and getting an idea of where they are. Any competition provides an opportunity to measure yourself against opponents, and in our sport, it provides an important measurement to see if we're on the right path to being ready for championship season in November. It also shows where we're strong and where we need work. We are looking forward to getting this data on Friday. The expectations for the team this Friday are to give themselves fully to their teammates and race with fire. Have fun and tear it up."
 
Tamer enters his first season as Director of Track & Field and Cross Country after serving as the head cross country coach for the past 10 seasons. In his new position, he looks to help the Panthers compete for a championship.
 
"Working with the men and women has brought no changes for race day," Tamer said. "No matter the team, the weather, the time, or the context, our goal is to be competitively excellent on race day. The only change is that there's a stronger sense of unity between the two teams this year, and we hope to build on that strength."
 
This will be the second year the Panthers open their season at Elon's cross country opener, where the team finished first, with three runners finishing in the top five.
 
HPU welcomes seven new faces to the program while returning eight runners. Avery Crowell and Gavin Stevens were both top finishers for High Point at the 2025 Big South Conference Championships. Crowell took fourth place, while Stevens followed in fifth. Both runners were named First Team All-Conference, while Max Bonilla earned Second Team All-Conference honors. Other returners include Greg Abel, Alex Contreras, Clark LaLomia, Blake Nicholson, Gavin Stevens, and Simon Triezenberg.

The newcoming Panthers this year are Bence Acsadi, Brayden Davis, Gitch Hayes, Will Katic, Jackson Keefer, and Jimmy Mullarkey.
 
Make sure to follow the Panthers this season as they look to claim a Big South Conference Championship.