The Mountain East Conference announced an agreement with the city of Bridgeport Thursday that will place the MEC men's and women's cross country championships in the city for the next three years.
The MEC will host its cross country championships at the Bridgeport Recreation Complex from 2016-18. This year's championship will be held Saturday, Oct. 22.
The men's championship course is 8,000 meters, while the women's course is 6,000 meters.
Eleven men's teams and 10 women's teams will compete for the championship in October. Concord won last year's men's championship, while West Virginia Wesleyan won the women's title for the third-straight year.
nnn
MARSHALL SOCCER: The Marshall women's team will kick off its preseason by hosting the Dayton Flyers at Veterans Memorial Soccer Complex at 5 p.m. Friday. The Herd travels to Ball State Sunday at 2 p.m.
Marshall is coming off a historical 2015 campaign, in which the team made its first appearance in the Conference USA Championship game. The second-seeded Herd defeated Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion before falling to North Texas.
Marshall returns Sydney Arnold, a preseason All-Conference USA selection, who led the Herd in points (23) with nine goals and five assists.
nnn
HICKS NAMED TO HALL OF FAME: Former WVU offensive coordinator and high school football coach Joel Hicks is being inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame. Hicks is part of the 27th induction class, bringing the total membership to 264.
Hicks started his coaching career at Big Creek High School in War before moving on to Woodrow Wilson, winning 91 games between 1964-75 at the two schools before taking over as the offensive coordinator for the Mountaineers (1976-78).
From there, Hicks moved to Pulaski County, Virginia, where he won 214 games in 24 season, including six region titles, 13 region finals, 15 district championships, three state runner-up finishes and the 1992 Division 6 state title.
His Pulaski County teams posted a .750 winning percentage (214-69), won 10 or more games 10 times and reached the playoffs in 18 of 24 seasons. In addition, Hicks had three perfect regular seasons and only one losing season in his 37 years as head coach.
While in Virginia, Hicks was named the state coach of the year three times, Northwest Region coach of the year four times and Roanoke Valley District coach of the year seven times.
The Hall of Fame induction dinner will be held October 12 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Charlottesville, Virginia.