PEORIA, Ill. -- Three home meets, including the 2014 NCAA Midwest Regional in November, highlight the 2014 Bradley Cross Country schedule announced Thursday.

The Braves open the season away from home for the first time since 2010, kicking off the year at the NIU Dark Dog in DeKalb, Ill., Aug. 29.

The 28th Bradley Intercollegiate is the first of three home meets on the 2014 schedule and will be held Sept. 12 at Detweiller Park (5 p.m.). 

September will include a trip to Minneapolis, Minn., for the Roy Griak Invitational (Sept. 27), which is one of the largest annual meets in the country.  The Braves will also face a strong field at the Notre Dame Invitational (Oct. 3), before six consecutive outings in the state of Illinois.

After running in the SIUE John Flamer Invitational (Oct. 4), the teams return to Peoria for the 11th annual Bradley Classic Oct. 17 (3 p.m.) at Newman Golf Course to help highlight Homecoming Weekend on The Hilltop.

The Illinois Open on Oct. 24 in Champaign, Ill., will serve as the final tune-up for the MVC Championship which will be held Nov. 1 in Carbondale, Ill.  The Braves will also run at the Huskie Open in DeKalb, Ill., Nov. 7.

For the sixth time in school history and fourth time in an 11-year span, Bradley will host the NCAA Midwest Regional at Newman Golf Course Friday, Nov. 14.  The women's 6K will be held at noon, with the men's 10K race following at 1 p.m.

Missouri Valley Conference rival Indiana State will host the NCAA Cross Country Championship, Saturday, Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Ind.

The Bradley women's cross country squad returns three All-Missouri Valley Conference performers from 2013 this fall after the trio helped pace the Braves to a second-place team finish last year.  On the men's side, Bradley had a pair of all-league runners and three individuals who earned MVC honors as they helped lead the team to its best conference performance (fourth) since 1989.