DETROIT -- The Wayne State University men's and women's cross country programs will host the Warrior Challenge on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Willow Metropark in New Boston, Mich. The women's team will compete in the 6K race at 11 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 11:45 a.m.
The course opens at 9 a.m., with an awards ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. at the picnic shelter. Awards will be presented to the winning teams and the top 10 individuals in each race.
The Warrior Challenge will feature 11 teams in both the men's and women's races, with a strong contingent of GLIAC programs in the field. Hillsdale will compete in the men's race only, while Northern Michigan will enter only the women's race. Both races will feature Wayne State, Davenport, Ferris State, Indianapolis, Lake Superior State, Northwood, Purdue Northwest, Roosevelt and Saginaw Valley State, along with unattached athletes.
QUOTING HEAD COACH GRANT LOFDAHL
"The Warrior Challenge is always a highlight of our cross country schedule, and we are very excited to welcome some excellent teams to our home course at Willow Metropark on Saturday.
"There are 11 teams competing on each side with the Davenport men, Northern Michigan women and both Saginaw Valley State squads being teams to watch out for. We will be a little shorthanded due to minor injuries, but both our men's and women's teams have good depth, and we still expect to compete to win. We've had some great workouts lately and we are looking very fit.
"The course is very spectator-friendly and is in great shape right now. The fall colors are popping at Willow Metropark and the weather forecast looks outstanding, so we hope to have a great turnout of Warrior fans to support our squads!"
Men's Squad
The Wayne State men's team is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Lucian Rosa Invite on Oct. 10. The Warriors finished with 99 points in the 8K race, as
Ishaan Kundapur (Northville, Mich.) led the Green and Gold with an 11th-place individual finish in 27:05.88.
Women's Squad
The women's squad claimed a third-place team finish at the Lucian Rosa Invite on Oct. 10. Competing in a field of 210 runners in the 6K race,
Ava Peters (Livonia, Mich. / Franklin) paced WSU with a seventh-place individual finish in 22:51.27.
USTFCCCA Regional Rankings
The Wayne State women's cross country program sits sixth in the latest USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings. GLIAC opponents Grand Valley State (No. 1), Saginaw Valley State (No. 4), Northern Michigan (No. 5) and Michigan Tech (No. 8) also hold spots in the regional rankings.
On the men's side, Wayne State remains outside of the top 10 in the USTFCCCA Midwest Regional Rankings. GLIAC opponents Grand Valley State (No. 1), Saginaw Valley State (No. 5) and Michigan Tech (No. 8) are ranked among the region's top 10 teams.
UP NEXT
The Warriors will travel to Hammond, Ind., for the GLIAC Championships at the Purdue Northwest cross country course. The women's 6K race is scheduled for noon ET, followed by the men's 8K at 12:45 p.m. ET.
