It took until ten days before the season starts, but Elon University has finally released its 2014 cross country slate.

Elon is under the leadership of new head coach Nick Polk, who was hired last week after Christine Engel left at the beginning of the month to become the head women's cross country coach at Duke University.

The schedule was pretty much set when Polk arrived.

"That was pretty much pre-made," Polk said. "Which is fine. It's a perfect schedule. That's exactly what I would have wanted to do."

Elon opens with two home meets — a dual meet against the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on Aug. 30 and the annual Elon Invitational on Sept. 13. Polk said the schools officially signed on for the Elon Invitational so far are Lenoir-Rhyne University, North Carolina A&T State University and North Carolina Central University.

Having two meets at home to begin the year is beneficial, too.

"We're setting up the meet, so we can do what we want with it," Polk said. "We can alter the distance, and fit it into what we need. And it gives us the opportunity, just the first one, to get kind of a rust-buster in. It's not a super-competitive environment for us. So what we're going to do is just test things out, probably sit out some of our top runners and get them ready for the most important meets at the end of the season."

Elon then heads to Cary on Sept. 19 for the Adidas Cross Country Challenge hosted by North Carolina State University. In October, Elon goes to the University of Notre Dame for the Notre Dame Invitational on Oct. 3 and Appalachian State University for the Blue Ridge Open on Oct. 17.

The NCAA Pre-Nationals are scheduled for Oct. 18 in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Colonial Athletic Association Championships will be in Boston on Nov. 1, Elon's first since joining the league this summer.

"It's a strong cross country conference," Polk said of the CAA. "Elon coming into that conference is, we're going to be competitive. We're going to be near the front on both the men's and women's sides. That's something that I look forward to, is this transition allows us to be at the front, and potentially win a conference championship in the next couple years."

Elon will once again head to Cary on Nov. 8 for the Three Stripe Invitational. The NCAA Regional Championships are on Nov. 14 in Louisville, Ky., and the NCAA Championships are scheduled for Nov. 22 in Terre Haute.

Elon 2014 cross country schedule

Aug. 30 – Elon vs. UNCG Dual (Elon, N.C.)

Sept. 13 – Elon Invitational (Elon, N.C.)

Sept. 19 – Adidas Cross Country Challenge (Cary, N.C.)

Oct. 3 – Notre Dame Invitational (South Bend, Ind.)

Oct. 17 – Blue Ridge Open (Boone, N.C.)

Oct. 18 – NCAA Pre-Nationals (Terre Haute, Ind.)

Nov. 1 – CAA Championships (Boston, Mass.)

Nov. 8 – Three Stripe Invitational (Cary, N.C.)

Nov. 14 – NCAA Regional Championships (Louisville, Ky.)

Nov. 22 – NCAA Championships (Terre Haute, Ind.)