PEORIA, Ill. - Bradley men's and women's cross country teams will be back in action this weekend, competing for the conference crown at the 2006 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championships, Saturday morning in Lincoln, Neb.

Creighton is the host of this year's championship, which will be held at Pioneer Park in Lincoln. The women's 5K race will kick off the event at 10:30 a.m., followed by the men's 8K run at 11:30 a.m.

The Braves were picked to finish seventh in both the men's and women's pre-championship coaches' polls. Indiana State was picked to win on the men's side, while Wichita State is the favorite in the women's 5K race.

Senior Sarah Westrick (Livonia, Mich./Winston Churchill) had a 14th-place finish at the Bradley Open on Sept. 8, and is expected to be one of Bradley's top finishers. She will likely be joined by freshman Rachel Brubaker (Davis, Ill./Durand), who lowered her season best by 45 seconds two weeks ago at the Bradley Classic. Sophomore Katie Nowak (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake) shaved a minute off her season-best last time out, while freshman Tracy Lotter (Winnebago, Ill./Winnebago) was over one minute better than her previous season best. In addition, junior Ainslie Schultz (Forest City, Iowa/Forest City), freshmen Melanie Glander (Orland Park, Ill./Sandburg) and sophomore Shelby Lile (Jefferson City, Mo./Jeferson City) each turned in season bests at the Bradley Classic.

On the men's side, junior Chris George (Normal, Ill./University) and sophomore Nathan Ahart (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central) lead the team, as the Braves hope to improve their finish after a sixth-place conference showing in 2005. Bradley has an experienced group of runners which includes George and Ahart in addition to juniors Nathan Leech (Fremont, Neb./Fremont) and Nick Palumbo (McHenry, Ill./McHenry) and sophomore Patrick Greene (Joliet, Ill./Plainfield South), while junior-transfer Drew Cisel (Morton, Ill./Illinois Central) will be racing in his first conference championship.