CEDAR CITY, Utah - Oct. 15 - Southern Utah cross country will be back in a nationally elite field this weekend as the Thunderbirds compete at the Pre-Nationals meet in Terre Haute, Ind. on Saturday.  The course is the same venue where the 2008 NCAA Cross Country National Championships will be held and where Jess Baumgartner ran to an all-American finish in 2006.

“The course in Terre Haute has been very favorable for us,” head coach Eric Houle said of the venue.  “We know the course well and wherever the Pre-Nationals meet is, it is important to run in that event as a team if you want to run against some of the best teams in the nation.

“It is another step in our team's process of becoming stronger mentally and physically,” he finished.

SUU's men will run in the Blue race surrounded by 40 other teams, including 36 regionally ranked programs.  Among the 36 teams are 17 teams ranked in the top five of their respective region, including Midwest No. 1 Oklahoma State and South No. 1 Alabama.

On the women's side, Southern Utah will be in a 42-team field with 36 teams also ranked in the top of the respective regions.  Among that group are 19 top-five regionally ranked squads, including Midwest No. 1 Minnesota, South No. 1 Florida State and Southeast No. 1 North Carolina State.

A total of 164 teams will compete at the meet with four races being run throughout the day.  The number of athletes at the event will be well over 1,100 with the first race beginning at 11:00 a.m. and Southern Utah's races beginning at 11:35 a.m. for the women and 12:10 p.m. for the men.

For the complete release with the latest times, please click on the link at the top of the page.