PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The fall season could not have been much better for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore cross country team, culminating in high marks for the Lady Hawks and a MEAC championship for the men's team. With the winter now fast approaching, UMES hopes to continue that success when the indoor track team begins its season beginning Tuesday at the Women's Navy Invite in Annapolis.

Last season, the Hawks took home a fifth place finish at the men's MEAC championships while the women brought home seventh. Along the way, several Hawks secured new records, including a new 4x800 relay school record time of 8:57.67 by the ladies' team of Rachel Halmon (Waldorf, Md.), Shantol Hemley (St. Catherine's, Jamaica), Gayon Evans (Clarendon, Jamaica) and Annis Mars (Brooklyn, N.Y.). Evans, who completed her senior season last year, also broke the school's record in the 200 meter dash. Another Lady Hawk who graduated last year, Geranda Williams, broke the school record in the triple jump with a leap of 11.94 meters.

On the men's side, current sophomore Khalil Rmidi Kinini (Malaga, Spain) broke the men's 3000 meter record with a time of 8:25.91 at the Boston Last Chance meet in March. Current senior Dillon Simon (Roseau, Dominica) broke two records, one for the shot put and the other in the weight throw. He also narrowly missed qualifications to the NCAA for both events.

UMES will look to improve on their 2013-14 successes over the course of seven regular season meets and three postseason opportunities. After the women kick off their season at the Navy Invite on Tuesday, the men will do the same in Annapolis on Saturday. Both teams will then take a hiatus for the holiday season before returning in 2015.

January will see the bulk of the Hawks' meets, beginning with the UMES High School/College Invite right here in Princess Anne on January 3^rd. A second trip to Navy for the women on the 8^th and the men on the 10^th will follow that. For the next three meets the Hawks will travel to New York City to compete in the Gotham Cup on the 16^th, the Metro Team Challenge on the 24^th and the Armory Invitational on the 30^th and 31^st.

New Haven, Connecticut will be UMES' next destination for the Yale University Invitational on February 6^th and 7^th before entering their first postseason meet, the MEAC Championships. Taking place from the 12^th thru the 14^th, the Hawks will travel to Landover, Md. in the attempt to win their third indoor track title under head coach Ernest Barrett. Following that tournament, those athletes who are still attempting to qualify for other postseason events will have one final opportunity at the Penn State Last Chance on February 21^st.

Any Hawks who do qualify for postseason play will compete in March. The IC4A/ECAC Championships will take place in Boston from March 6^th thru the 8^th, and the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas on March 13^th and 14^th.

This year's team consists of 23 men and 25 women. Sophomores are the highest representation with 19 total athletes from the class of 2017, followed by the freshman class with 16, eight seniors and five juniors.