After a disappointing 10th-place finish at the Pac-10 championships last season, the USC women’s cross-country team looks to bounce back in 2011.

The UC Irvine Invitational in Irvine, Calif., which begins Saturday, will provide the Women of Troy an early season test, especially after the loss of recent graduates Christine Cortez and Zsofia Erdelyi.

“[Erdelyi] was very special, an All-American, and she holds many records for the university,” USC coach Tom Walsh said. “She’s definitely the best distance runner we’ve ever had. And Christine’s determination and discipline rubbed off on everyone else on the team. We’re basically starting from scratch now.”

Junior Shelby Buckley and freshman Erica Capellino are expected to help keep USC afloat.

Buckley, a transfer from UCLA, was forced to sit out the 2010 season but posted excellent times while running unattached in three races last year. Capellino also took fifth place at the Iolani Cross Country Invitational for Palos Verdes High School at the CIF State Championships in 2010 with a time of 18:04.

With the team comprised mostly of walk-ons and new members, the rest of the spots on the team have yet to be decided. USC boasts five other talented walk-on freshmen in addition to Capellino. All but Capellino will race this weekend in Irvine.

Capellino is holding off on her season debut until next week’s race at San Diego State.

“We have six fabulous freshmen this season, and we’re really excited about that group and their prospects for the future,” Walsh said. “They’ve had a good solid summer of training and should be ready for this season’s races. The third to seventh ranked spots are up for grabs. There are so many people with similar stats.”

Much like last year, USC’s hopes for a strong season lie in whether the runners can stay healthy. Several athletes have been battling injuries, which might have impacted their summer training. Senior Leah Gaeta will redshirt this season.

A competitive atmosphere with  many underclassmen will allow runners to quickly distinguish themselves, but Walsh knows 2011 will be a building year for USC.

“We’re so young, and sometimes freshmen don’t always run to their best ability right away,” Walsh said. “Hopefully they’ll be able to race as fast as they’re training.”

USC faces steep competition with this year’s Pac-12 lineup, as annual powerhouses Oregon and Stanford boast rosters full of impressive contenders. USC’s lack of cross-country scholarships hinders its ability to actively recruit runners, but this is not an insurmountable challenge, according to Walsh, who remains optimistic about the Women of Troy’s chances of placing higher than last year’s disappointing finish at the Pac-10 championships.

The cross-country season begins in Irvine this weekend and continues through four more California cities before the Pac-12 championships in Tempe, Ariz., on Oct. 29.

“This season will definitely be a growing process,” Walsh said.