The Iowa State women’s cross country team opens up the season this Friday at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City.

Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough is ready to put her No. 26 cross country team back on the map.

“I want five of the girls to come across the finish line together at the meet this weekend,” Grove-McDonough said. “I am looking to get the freshmen in the jerseys.”

The team is led by two top runners in Bethanie Brown and Anne Frisbie but also welcome seven new highly-touted freshmen joining this year led by Amanda Vestri, Karly Ackley and Cailie Logue.

“We have a tremendous core of freshmen girls who are focused, motivated and will make a big difference this year,” Coach Grove-McDonough said about the incoming freshmen.

“Cross Country is a fall sport but the key part of the sport is in the offseason, the girls have been self motivated and have been really good at getting in shape for the season,” coach Grove-McDonough said about her team this offseason. “Our whole focus in on ourselves, we have nowhere to go but up.”