MEMPHIS, Tenn. – After weeks of dedication, preparation, and determination, the Christian Brothers University men's and women's cross country teams are ready to put their hard work to the test as they gear up for the Gulf South Conference (GSC) Championships on Friday morning.

With a young but hungry roster, the Buccaneers enter the conference championships looking to make a statement and show how far they have come throughout the season.

The road to the championships has been filled with early mornings, challenging workouts, and valuable racing experience. Under the leadership of Head Coach Bill Hoffman, both teams have spent the last eight weeks building endurance, improving their times, and developing the confidence needed to compete against some of the conference's best runners.

Despite featuring several young competitors, the Bucs have continued to show growth and determination throughout the fall. Each meet has provided an opportunity to gain experience, establish personal bests, and build momentum heading into the postseason.

On the women's side, freshman Eleni Stemmildt has emerged as a standout performer, delivering impressive performances throughout the season, including a first-place finish at UT Martin. Alongside her teammates, Stemmildt has helped set the tone for a young squad eager to compete at a high level.

Meanwhile, the men's team has continued to embrace the challenge of developing a young roster, using each race as an opportunity to improve and prepare for the biggest meet of the season.

For Hoffman, the message heading into Friday is simple: the preparation is complete, and now it is time to perform.

"Both men and women's teams have been training for the last eight weeks," Hoffman said. "The money is in the bank, and we are ready to withdraw! We are focused and ready to roll on Friday morning."

While youth may be a defining characteristic of this year's teams, the Buccaneers are not allowing experience to determine their expectations. Instead, they are approaching the conference championships with confidence, hunger, and a desire to prove themselves.

With eight weeks of preparation behind them, the Bucs are ready to leave everything on the course Friday morning as they look to finish the season strong and continue building toward the future of CBU cross country.