PEORIA, Ill. - Over 400 collegiate competitors will gather at Newman Golf Course on Friday, Oct. 16 to run in the Bradley Classic. From its origins six years ago, the Bradley Classic has transformed into one of the top cross country meets in the Midwest.
This year's field features 16 men's teams and 20 women's teams from seven different states, including the University of Windsor from Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Of the 36 teams, nine are ranked in their respective regions by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Four of those teams are nationally ranked in the USTFCCCA top-30.The women's 6K race features five top-10 finishers from last year, while the men's 8K has four returning top-10 finishers. Iowa State University returns as the reigning men's and women's team champion.
"It's certainly the best field we've had in the (Bradley) Classic," said Bradley cross country head coach David Beauchem. "From where we started in 2004, when we had no men's teams and four women's teams, it's grown quite well."
For Bradley, redshirt-freshman Nicole Benson (Peoria, Ill./Limestone H.S.) will run in the first home meet of her career Friday. Benson has two first place finishes this season and has been named the Missouri Valley Conference women's cross country athlete of the week three times. Not to be outdone, fifth-year senior Katie Nowak (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake H.S.) earned the first win of her career and set a personal best at the 2009 Bradley Open. She has been named MVC women's cross country athlete of the week and Prairie Farms/Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week. The Bradley women's team has two first place finishes this season.
On the men's side, the Braves are led by junior Andrew Wieser (Chesterfield, Mo./Parkway Central H.S.). Wieser has three top-15 finishes this season and was named the Missouri Valley Conference men's cross country athlete of the week Tuesday.
The sixth annual Bradley Classic opens with the men's 8K race at 4:15 p.m., followed by the women's 6K at 5 p.m. The Braves will host the Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Newman Golf Course.
