EVANSVILLE, Ind.—The University of Southern Indiana men's and women's cross country teams open their 2011 season Friday at the Covered Bridge Open in Boone, North Carolina. The races are set to begin at 4 p.m. (CDT).

USI's men, ranked seventh in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association Top 25 Preseason Poll, begin 2011 in search of their seven straight Great Lakes Valley Conference crown and third straight top 10 finish at the national meet.

Led by two-time All-Americans Dustin Emerick and Brendan Devine, the Screaming Eagles have high expectations entering the 2011 season. The two seniors are looking to become the first three-time cross country All-Americans in the program's history after earning the same honor in 2009 and 2010.

In addition to Emerick and Devine, the Eagles return seven of their top eight runners from their 2010 edition, which finished 10th at the NCAA II National Championships.

USI's women, which finished second at the GLVC Championships in 2010, are led by senior All-American Jackie Henderson and senior All-GLVC performer Adrienne Curtis. Henderson earned All-America honors in 2010 after finishing 40th at the NCAA II National Championships; while Curtis ran number two for the Eagles in both the GLVC and NCAA II Midwest Region Championships.

The Eagles return their top five competitors from 2010, including the reigning GLVC Freshman of the Year, Kaylee McClanahan.

USI, which hosts the GLVC Championships October 22 at the USI Cross Country Course, follows the Covered Bridge Open September 16 when it competes at the Indiana Intercollegiate in Bloomington, Indiana.