HARRISONBURG, Va. - The Emory & Henry College Cross Country Teams opened the season on Friday afternoon at the EMU Royals Invitational hosted by Eastern Mennonite University. The women posted a ninth-place finish while the men's team came in 10th in a preview race of the 2012 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships, which will take place on the same course in October.

Leading the women's team was senior Kaitlyn Phibbs (Saltville, Va.) and freshman Gabbie Rhodes (Richmond, Va.) while the men were paced by freshmen Dylan Turner (Roanoke, Va.) and Nathan Fishell (Richmond, Va.).

Tim Smith of Roanoke College won the men's 8K race with Bridgwater College taking home the team title. On the women's side, Hannah Chappell-Dick of Eastern Mennonite took medalist honors over the 6K course while Washington and Lee University won the team competition.

Emory & Henry will next compete at the Lenoir-Rhyne Invitational, on Saturday, Sept. 8, at Newton, N.C.'s Southside Park.

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