Demorest, GA -- Piedmont College Head Cross Country Coach Charlie Patterson definitely has a great deal of knowledge after 42 years as a runner, but his 2011 men's and women's squads at PC aren't going to be heavy on experience like their coach.

Of the 23 runners on the combined men's and women's cross country rosters at PC this fall, 18 are newcomers to the green and gold. While that type of infusion may be typical of a coaching staff change, first-year coach Charlie Patterson doesn't think that the inexperience will hurt the squads on the course.

“We are very young on both the men and women's teams including two new coaches as both myself and Coach Sava (Marius Sava, Assistant Coach) start our first year here at PC,” said Patterson of his young Lion and Lady Lions. “We only have two returning women runners and three returning men. However, our numbers on each team have greatly increased this year from last year, and I love the enthusiasm of the group to be a key to success for us.”

Included in those returning to campus for another go round are men's runners Wesley Milton and Chez Maxwell who both placed in the top five of 30 runners at the Great South Athletic Conference championship meet in 2010. Milton was a part of the last men's team to win a GSAC title running with the championship team of 2009 though he hopes to add more hardware to the trophy case this season.

“The main objective is to keep everybody injury free since we'll need everyone healthy to give us our best chance at winning conference," said Milton of his team's plans for the season. "Also, we think we can win if we run in a close pack and minimize the number of opposing runners between us."

The women's team also has a bevy of new faces, but brings back key experience from last year's group as well as the 2010 GSAC Freshman of the Year Molly Atkinson hopes to improve on her impressive debut from one year ago when she finished just outside of the top ten at the conference championship meet. Also back to lead the Lady Lions is Lavonia native Anna McClatchy who returns to captain the squad as a senior, experience that PC will be more than happy to have this season.

"Leading such a big group of young runners is fun, they have so much energy and are excited about everything," said McClatchy of her ten freshman teammates. "It keeps up my own excitement for the sport to see so many others working hard and encouraging each other."

With some key runners returning on both sides, Coach Patterson knows that his experienced upperclassmen though few in number will have an important role in establishing Piedmont on the conference scene.

“On the men's team, we will be looking for our two returning juniors, team captain Wesley Milton and Chez Maxwell to lead a host of freshmen runners to help us be competitive by the time conference rolls around,” said Patterson. “Although we are young and inexperienced on the women's side as well, this group has an opportunity to change the culture of women's cross country at Piedmont with the help of team captain Anna McClatchy and Molly Atkinson. They have developed a strong team dynamic that may help to make them contenders for a top 3 spot at conference.”

Although the conference championship meet that Coach Patterson speaks of is still a few months away, the leader of the program will be beginning his team's journey to the possibility of twin titles with an opening meet at North Georgia Technical College this Friday, September 2nd with the start set for 6:30 pm.