The University of Hawai'i women's cross country team opens the 2010 season by participating in the Brigham Young-Hawai'i Invitational, Saturday, Sept. 11 at the BYUH campus in La'ie, O'ahu.

 

The meet will be held on a 5K course around the campus and will include the state's other Division II teams, including host BYU-Hawai'i.

 

The Rainbow Wahine will send a contingent of 19 runners, including top returnees Ashley Aitken, Mariana Monasi, and Liisa Cushing. Aitken was among the team's top five finishers in four meets last season and posted the season's top 5K time of 17:23 at the Santa Clara Invitational. Monasi and Cushing are both two-time letterwinners.

 

The last time UH opened the season at the BYUH Invite was in 2007 and the Rainbow Wahine placed third while Chantelle Wilder captured the individual title for the second year in a row.

 

Cross country coach Althea Belgrave is in her third season in charge of the distance runners while head coach track and field and cross country coach Carmyn James begins her 12^th season.