BIG RAPIDS, Mich. --- After a two week break, the Bellarmine University men's and women's cross country teams look to peak at the right time as they compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Championship on Saturday morning in Big Rapids, Mich.

Hosted by Ferris State University, the race will be held at Katke Golf Course with the women racing a 6K and the men will run a 10K. The Knights will be familiar with the course as it is the same one they ran earlier in the season when they participated in the Bulldog Invite on Sept. 10. 

Both teams go into the race ranked nationally, as the men come in at No. 17 in the most recent United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association poll while the women are ranked No. 20. In regional polls, the men are third in the Midwest Region and the women fourth.  If both Bellarmine teams can hold their place they will advance to the NCAA Championship in Seattle in mid-February as the top three men's teams and top four women's teams will get invites.

The Midwest region is full of quality teams though in both the men's and women's race. Grand Valley State is the favorite on both sides as their women's team is the defending NCAA champions while the men finished the season ranked third in the nation. Other nationally ranked women's teams that will compete are Ferris State (6th), Southern Indiana (18th), and Wisconsin-Parkside (25th). On the men's side, Bellarmine will also see USI (6th) and Ashland (24th) along with a very good Wayne State team.

The Knights placed second in the men's and women's race last time out at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships in Evansville, Ind. as host Southern Indiana swept the team titles. On the women's side, the Knights fell short of the team crown by just six points after getting stellar performances from the quartet of Angela Musk, Emily Frith, Maggie Wagner, and Kelsey Love. Musk led Bellarmine as she finished second overall, one spot ahead of Frith who was named GLVC Freshman of the Year. Wagner and Love came in 9th and 15th respectively and earned All-GLVC honors.

“Year in and year out our region is one of the toughest in the nation, and this year is no different,” said women's head coach Kris Horton. “You have five teams ranked in the top 25, plus a very good Saginaw Valley team, all chasing after just four spots. Physically, we are ready and if we stay calm and run our race, I think we will be successful.”

In the men's GLVC Championship race, Jordan Parayil and Nate Dotterweich paced the Knights, finishing fifth and sixth respectively, while Robert Sandlin, Jr., Dominic Perronie, and Alex Jones also garnered all-conference honors. Last season, the men finished in third place at the regional championship, moving onto the NCAA Championship where they finished 22nd overall.

Director of Cross Country and Track Jim Vargo thinks last season's experience will help the team, “We are focused, experienced, balanced, and as healthy as we have been all season.  Qualifying last year gives us the confidence and experience to do it again,” said Vargo. “With a balanced pack led by four seniors (Parayil, Dotterweich, Jones and Neal Masterson) we know what we need to do.”

The women's race will begin at 11:00 am on Saturday, with the men's competition getting underway at noon.