New Home for Cross Country Teams

The cross country teams will host their three home meets at B&D Acres this fall. B&D Acres is a 335-acre grain farm owned by the family of SFU head cross country and track and field coach Doug Hoover.

The farm is located in Tyrone, a community roughly 40 minutes from the University.

The B&D Acres course is comprised of three loops measuring 1,500 meters, 1,667 meters and two kilometers.

“We designed a cross country course there in the fall of 2020 – during the middle of the pandemic – with the intent that we may be hosting a cross country meet,” said Hoover.

“We ended up not having a season that year, but my dad managed to maintain the course.”

The Hoovers’ efforts to maintain the 20-acre cross country course during the pandemic proved successful and the Huntingdon County farm was recently selected to host the 2022 Northeast Conference Championships on Oct. 28.

In addition to the NEC Championships, two other college meets will be held at the family grain farm this fall. Several junior high and high school meets are also scheduled at the course in the coming months.

On Sept. 2, student-athletes from 10 different colleges will compete at the Father Bede Invitational, followed by a meet featuring five high school teams on Sept. 3. The Red Flash Rally will be contested at B&D Acres on Nov. 6.

Sophomore cross country runner Tesslyn Helms is excited about the opportunity to lace up her spikes at B&D Acres this season.

“I enjoy the new home course,” said Helms. “It is a big shift from the old course at Immergrun, which had some very intense hills and a couple of pavement paths.

“My favorite parts are the shaded downhill, as well as the end of the hairpin loop, where it’s very open to spectators. I’m hoping to use that as an opportunity to push myself and pass people near the end.”

Sophomore runner Emma Fleck is also looking forward to competing at B&D Acres.

“I am super-excited about NEC championships being at the new home course because I feel we will have an advantage, due to being able to practice on the course,” said the Physician Assistant major.

“It will be a little weird not having to travel and stay in a hotel for a championship meet, but it will also be nice to be close to home.”

The women’s race at the Father Bede Invitational will begin at 4:45 p.m. on Friday. The men’s race will follow at 6 p.m.