NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Cross Country has announced the release of its schedule for the upcoming 2021 season, which includes five regular season meets before the 'Birds kick off postseason competition with the MVC Cross Country Championships, which they are hosting for the first time in nine years.
"We're extremely excited for cross country to get back to normal in the fall." ISU Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Jeff Bovee said. "Racing and training over nine months is more conducive for the development of our distance runners."
Last year, the ISU men captured the MVC title, while the women logged a fourth-place finish. Now on their home course, the men will look to defend their 2020 crown at Weibring Golf Club on Friday, Oct. 29.
"We look forward to hosting the MVC championships at home with a fantastic course at Weibring that we have become quite familiar with," Bovee said.
ISU kicks off the 2021 campaign at Iowa on Friday, Sept. 3 with the first race set to begin at 5:00 p.m. CT. The 'Birds open the season at the Hawkeye Invitational for the sixth time in the last seven years.
After a weekend off, ISU returns home to host the Redbird Invite, slated for Friday, Sept. 17 at 5:00 p.m. CT. The Redbird Invite returns to Weibring Golf Club after a year-long hiatus due to COVID-19. At the last home meet, the ISU men finished third and the women placed fourth.
Kicking off the month of October, the Redbirds will travel to Notre Dame on Friday Oct. 1. The meet in South Bend, Indiana is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. CT.
Following another off week, ISU will stick close to home with two meets scheduled in the state of Illinois. First, the Redbirds will travel to Peoria, Illinois for the Bradley Classic, set for Friday, Oct. 15 at 2:00 p.m. CT. To close out the regular season, ISU is then set to travel to Champaign, Illinois for the Illini Invite on Friday, Oct. 22.
For the first time since 2012, ISU will also serve as host to the MVC Cross Country Championships, which are set for Friday, Oct. 29 at Weibring Golf Club. The women's 6k race is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. CT, with the men's 8k to follow.
Following the MVC Championships, the 'Birds will make a return trip to Iowa City for the NCAA Midwest Regional, set to begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 12.
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