PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley men's and women's cross country teams will host their final home meet of the year Friday, welcoming some of the top teams in the region to Newman Golf Course for the eighth annual Bradley Classic.
Serving as the final tune-up for many teams before their respective conference championships later this month, the Bradley Classic begins with the women's 6K race at 4:20 p.m. and will be followed by the men's 8K at 5 p.m.
The women's race features 21 NCAA Division I schools and a total of 258 runners from 24 institutions. The men's field consists of 222 individuals from 20 schools, including 17 NCAA Division I squads. Admission to the Bradley Classic is free and free parking will be available at the Newman Golf Course Clubhouse located at 2021 West Nebraska Avenue.
"We are thrilled to host the Bradley Classic at Newman Golf Course," Bradley cross country head coach Marc Burns said. "Newman is the home of Bradley Cross Country and it is exciting to showcase this great course and our community to the teams coming in. We are very thankful for our relationship with the Peoria Park District. It is always fun to race on your home turf especially when it is a venue that you train at often."
Five teams ranked in the latest USTFCCA regional rankings will help make up the women's field, including Lamar which is ranked eighth in the South Central Region. In addition to Missouri Valley Conference foes Creighton, Drake, Illinois State (11th in the Midwest) and Northern Iowa; the field also includes Eastern Michigan (15th in the Great Lakes Region), Missouri (10th in the Midwest) and Saint Louis (15th in the Midwest).
Illinois State's Elise Sigg won the women's individual title last year as a member of the Wisconsin-Milwaukee team, clocking the seventh fastest 6K time in Bradley Classic history. Loyola-Chicago senior Josh Stein is the top returner on the men's side. Stein finished seventh last year, but his time of 24:24 ranks as the eighth fastest 8K time in Bradley Classic history.
One of the most competitive men's fields in the history of the Bradley Classic will include two defending conference champions and four regionally ranked squads. Over half of the Valley's men's teams will help make up the field, including Creighton, Drake, Illinois State, Northern Iowa and Wichita State (15th in the Midwest). Defending Horizon League champ Butler is ranked eighth in the Great Lakes Region, while defending Summit League champion South Dakota State is ranked 11th in the Midwest. Loyola-Chicago is ranked 14th in the Midwest and is one of four Horizon League teams scheduled to race.
"The team is ready to make the next step toward the MVC Championships this weekend," added Burns. "It is important for us to give a strong emotional effort here at home. President Glasser and Dr. Cross will be our honorary starters and we want to show them how much progress we are making as a team."
In addition to serving as the site for the Bradley Classic each of the last seven years, Newman Golf Course has been the site of four NCAA Regionals and five State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Championships.
Directions to Newman Golf Course
From the east: I-74 exit #91 (University Street) turn right - North and then make an immediate left onto Nebraska Avenue. Newman Golf Course will be 1 mile ahead on your right.
From the west: I-74 exit #88 (Sterling Avenue) turn right - South. Newman Golf Course will be 2 miles ahead on your left
