EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – The biggest field of the season awaits the SIUE men's and women's cross country teams Friday.
SIUE will participate in the 10th annual Bradley "Pink" Classic on Newman Golf Course in Peoria. A total of 22 men's teams and 24 women's teams will compete at the event. The men's 8K race begins at 4:25 p.m. with the women's 6K to follow at 5:05 p.m.
Fellow Ohio Valley Conference teams Murray State and Southeast Missouri will be among the competitors. The field includes schools from Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, South Dakota, and Kansas.
The race will have special meaning for many of the competitors. Runners will have special pink bibs for the race for cancer awareness. The competitors are encouraged to write a loved one's name on the bib to honor their battle against cancer.
The first 2,000 meters of the course is flat which makes the start important.
"You have to get out fast on this course because of the way the start is. It's not a long start to the first turn and has numerous turns," said SIUE Head Coach Eileen McAllister.
The SIUE women are coming off the final home meet of the season and the first-ever victory by Claire Brown. McAllister said Brown will go out with the same approach as she has in past meets.
"The fact that she'll have more competition around her hopefully will allow her to run a faster time and be able to compete at a higher level," said McAllister.
McAllister said she expects the level of competition and the expected weather and running conditions to translate into fast times.
"It's definitely a fast course," said McAllister. "If they can execute the first mile like they need to, they can set it up for the rest of the race."
The SIUE men are coming off a victory at the Flamer Invite and will look to improve their times. Nick Moore, a sophomore, has been among the top three in his first three races this season. Teammates Clint Kliem, Scott Woodard, and Keith Meyer joined him in the top 10 at the last race.
"The larger field will get them exposed to a faster pace and a faster race," said McAllister. "That level of competition will be big for them."
