DAHLONEGA – The University of North Georgia cross country team begins its 2024 campaign today in Young Harris, Ga. for the 2nd Annual Young Harris Opener at 5:45 p.m. The Nighthawks finished third among seven teams in the inaugural event last year.

The Nighthawks are coming off a great campaign in 2023 in which they finished third or better in four events, including a second place finish in the Peach Belt Conference Championship. 

However, UNG has finished second place to Flagler at the conference championship for six consecutive years now. With head coach Chris England entering his fifth season at the helm of the UNG running programs, he's on a mission to change that. 

England recently sat down with UNG Director of Communications Brendan Schabath for another episode of The Hawks Nest. 

England and Schabath discussed their similar backgrounds, his time at Ohio State, the mental battle a runner goes through, UNG's recent success and much more in the latest episode of the Nighthawk Sports Network's newest show. 

Last season, UNG was led by three PBC All-Conference selections, the PBC Runner of the Year and the PBC Freshman of the year, totaling five players with postseason conference honors. Of those five, the Nighthawks return three runners this season in reigning PBC Runner of the Year Claire Mills, reigning Freshman of the Year Nealeigh Broadwell and former all-conference selection Anna Chasteen. 

Last year was a historic one for UNG as Mills became the first Nighthawk runner in school history to qualify for the NCAA National Championship. Mills finished 10th in the regional to earn the championship berth after running a 22:05 time which stands as the second-best 6k time in school history. 

Mills is back this year and so are the rest of the Nighthawks with a vengeance in search of the program's first PBC Championship since 2017.