The Illinois State mens and womens cross country teams have added Saturdays Saluki Invitational in Carbondale, Ill., to their schedule to help prepare some of the runners for the NCAA Pre-Nationals meet in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday, October 19.
The event starts at 10:30 a.m. with the womens 5K race. The mens 8K race will be held immediately following at approximately 11:15 a.m.
Eleven schools will compete in the meet including Valley foes Indiana State and host Southern Illinois. Other schools planning to participate are Austin Peay, Memphis, Murray State, St. Louis, Southeast Missouri State, Southern Indiana, Vanderbilt and Vincennes.
This meet will give some of our kids who have not been able to race much this season a chance to compete, said Chris Bailey, assistant track and field coach, who serves as head cross country coach at Illinois State. Plus, with some of the injuries we have had this year, it will give some runners, like John Shaffer and Betsy McDonald, a chance to get their legs warmed up before the postseason.
