NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State men's cross country team, ranked 13th in the preseason USTFCCCA Southeast Region poll, opens its 2011 season on Saturday at the Maryland Eastern Shore Lid-Lifter in Princess Anne, Md. The men's 8,000 meter race begins at 10:30 a.m.

The Spartans have won the last three MEAC titles and 10 of the last 11. The Spartans welcome back their top seven runners from last year's squad, including five All-MEAC performers. Junior Vincent Rono and the senior trio of Josef Tessema, Amos Kipkosgei and Philemon Kimutai anchor the squad. Rono was the MEAC Championship runner-up last year, while Kipkosgei placed third and Tessema fourth. Kimutai, a two-time All-MEAC performer, was 12th and junior Kameron George was 13th at the MEAC championship to also earn all-conference honors.

Head coach Kenneth Giles also welcomes two new runners who he feels will have an immediate impact. Newcomers Nathnael Meseret and Damtew Adnew attended NSU, but sat out last season. Both are products of the same school – Robert E. Lee High in Springfield – that produced Tessema.

NSU finished 15th at last season's NCAA Southeast Regional meet after being ranked as high as eighth in the region during the season. In addition to their preseason No. 13 ranking this season, the Spartan men are also ranked 23rd nationally by the cross country web site www.kevinhoranrankings.com.