LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - The Rider University men's and women's cross country teams are set to start the 2024 season this Friday evening, August 30, in Ambler, PA. The Broncs begin their fall campaign with the Temple Owls Cross Country Invitational. The women's race is scheduled for 5 p.m., with the men to follow at 5:30 p.m.

"On the women's side, we really feel that we have one of the best teams that we've ever had," said Rider Director of Cross Country, Track & Field Bob Hamer. "We were fourth last year. We really wanted to be top three and we think we can be in that same spot this year."

- The Rider women's cross country team was picked to finish fourth in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll.
- Maddie Dischert returns after earning All-MAAC with a 15th-place finish at MAAC Championships, also good for the top first-year performance and MAAC Most Outstanding Rookie honors.
- Jordan O'Neill also returns after a 22nd-place finish, while Faith Evans joined Dischert on the All-Rookie Team with a 24th-place performance.
- Makala Hansen (32^nd), Krisantha Spencer (48^th) and Nicole Dauberman (53^rd) also return following solid finishes at MAAC Championships as underclassmen last season.

"On the men's side of things, we finished in the top three last year and that's the goal again to hopefully finish up in the top three," said Hamer. We're going to be a little bit of a different team, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I think it's a good thing that new guys are going to get some opportunities to hopefully do some pretty cool things."

- The Rider men's cross country team was selected third in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll, matching the team's best-ever finishes in the MAAC, accomplished nine times, including last season.
- Graduate student Tamrat Snyder returns after earning All-MAAC for the second-straight season with a 14^th-place finish. He also finished 13^th in 2022.
- In addition to Snyder, the Broncs return four of their top five finishers from 2023 MAAC Championships, with Dominik Lisicky (17th), Noah Taylor (20th) and Iain Taylor (34th) comprising the group.
- The Broncs also have an influx of new talent on the roster, with six freshmen – Alberto Castillo, Santino D'Amelio, Dylan Guarquila, Amir Halim, Nico Hidalgo and Jared Voorhees.