FAIRFAX, Va. – The George Mason men's and women's cross country teams will open the 2026 season this Saturday, September 5, at the Salisbury University Fall Classic, hosted by Salisbury University. The meet will take place at Winter Place Park in Salisbury, Md., with the women's race scheduled for 9:30 a.m. and the men's race shortly after at 10:30 a.m.

The Patriots will be competing in the Salisbury University Fall Classic for the first time. The event, which features an 8k course for the men and a 6k course for the women, will host its 30th annual iteration this season.

"We're very excited to get going and open the season," said head coach Andrew Gerard. "We haven't been to Salisbury in recent history, so it should be a nice opportunity to experience a new course."

The season-opening meet will give George Mason an early look at a roster with many new faces as it competes against a diverse crop of opponents, including Salisbury University, Navy, and Maryland-Eastern Shore, among others.

On the women's side, George Mason will be adjusting to life without Ella Semple. The former Patriot became the third women's cross country runner in program history to win the A10 Championship after besting the field at the Elvin R. King Cross Country Course in Cedarville, Ohio, last November.

Senior Sarah Clark, senior Aylin Yirmibesoglu, and fifth-year Kenzie Dillman — George Mason's second, third, and fourth-best finishers, respectively, at last season's NCAA Division I Southeast Region Championships — headline a talented group of returners.

The women's team also added an exciting crop of newcomers this offseason, including Ailbhe Barnes from the University of Birmingham and Kara Mickelson, who ran in the Big 12 for the University of Arizona in 2025.

On the men's side, the Patriots return senior Biruk Beardsley, who earned Atlantic 10 All-Conference honors by securing a fifth-place finish at the A10 Championship in 2025.

Juniors Luke Brown and Jackson Rowe, George Mason's respective third and fifth-best finishers at the Southeast Region Championship, along with graduate students Robbie Jenkins and Alex DeRoussel, are also back and ready to kick off their seasons at Salisbury on Saturday.

"We've been training well, so it will be great to let go of the reins a bit and see where folks are in a competitive situation," said Gerard. "That having been said, we'll probably make some decisions about who we line up or how hard we push, but in the grand scheme, it'll be good to get racing!"