Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Cross Country set to compete at NCAA Midwest Regional
11/11/2011 | 12:00:00 | Cross Country
Nov. 11, 2011
By Robin Thuringer
SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois cross country team will travel to DeKalb, Ill. Saturday to compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional hosted by Northern Illinois University.
The Salukis are coming off a second place finish for the men and a seventh place finish for the women at the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Championships that were held on Oct. 30.
The meet, which is one of nine regionals nationwide, will serve as the qualifying round for the NCAA National Championship on Nov. 21 in Terre Haute, Ind.
The Midwest Region includes schools from 10 conferences, including the Atlantic 10, Big 12, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Conference USA, Great West, Horizon League, Mid-American, Missouri Valley, Ohio Valley, and Summit League.
SIU will face fierce competition as they compete against some of the top teams in the nation. Among the top programs in the field are two-time defending men's national champion Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Iowa State and Oklahoma. The field also includes two conference champions on the men's side (Oklahoma State - Big 12, Tulsa - Conference USA) and four conference champions on the women's side (Iowa State - Big 12, Illinois State - Missouri Valley, Eastern Illinois - Ohio Valley, North Dakota State - Summit League).
The meet will be run on the recently reconfigured NIU North 40, which is located in the northeast corner of the NIU campus. The course features gradual uphill and downhill climbs along rolling hills to offer the teams a challenge.
The men's 8K race will kick-off at 12:00 p.m. with the women following in a 5K race at 1:15 p.m.
