ITHACA, N.Y. – With nearly three weeks of preseason preparation in the books, Cornell women's cross country is set to begin the 2014 campaign on Friday at 4:30 p.m., as the team travels to West Point for its annual dual-meet with Army. Cornell will look to extend its winning streak over Army to 17 consecutive meets dating back to 1998.
 
The Big Red are quite familiar with its season opening opponent. Army has been a fixture on the women's schedule since 1987. The teams will square off for the 28^th consecutive year in the opening meet of the season.
 
The Cornell women dominated the Black Knights in the dual-meet last season, hosted at the historic Moakley Course in Ithaca, N.Y. Big Red runners swept the top-15 finishes to defeat the Black Knights 15-50 last fall. The team was led by graduated seniors Rachel Sorna and Emily Shearer, who took the top two spots at the meet a season ago. However, the Big Red did receive strong performance from returning sophomore Taylor Spillane (3^rd) and junior Kristen Niedrach (4^th). Other returning runners that posted strong performances at last season's dual-meet include: Claire DeVoe (6^th), Marianne Collard (7^th), Corey Dowe (8^th), and Bori Tozser (10^th).
 
Women's cross country has high hopes coming into 2014, as it boasts a deep and talented roster from last season's team which finished second at the Ivy League Heptagonal Championships and 23^rd overall at the National Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. Team captains Marianne Collard, Caroline Kellner and Casey Phlegar will look to lead the team in another successful season, as the Big Red look to capture the Ivy League Heptagonal title for the third time over the last four seasons. The Big Red find themselves amongst the USTFCCCA preseason regional poll, ranked #5 in the Northeast Region.
 
Following the dual-meet at Army, women's cross country will split squad to compete at two different meets at the conclusion of September. Some runners will travel to Chestnut Hill for the annual Boston College Invitational on Sept. 26. The rest of the squad will head to Rochester, N.Y., for the Harry F. Anderson Invitational, hosted by Roberts Wesleyan College, on Sept. 27.