Missouri State cross country has released its schedule for the 2010 season. The schedule features high levels of competition from across the Midwest. The Bears are also hosting their own meet in the Greater Springfield Sports Commission Richard Clark Invitational.
Head Coach Greg Hipp and the Bears will open their season in Bolivar, Mo. in the Southwest Baptist Invitational on Sept. 3. Last season, Missouri State opened the season with a dual against Southwest Baptist, but this season the contest will be a full meet.
The next trip for Missouri State will be to Edwardsville, Ill. to compete in the SIUE Invitational. This meet will mark the first time the Bears have ever competed at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville.
The next competition will be the Bears' sole home meet, the Greater Springfield Sports Commission Richard Clark Invitational. This meet will combine two previous events: the Missouri State Classic and the Richard Clark Invitational. The new variation of the event will feature events for all age groups. There will be the Ramada Oasis Hotel College Men's 8K and Women's 5K, high school varsity boys 5K and girls 5K, high school junior varsity boys 5K and girls 5K, middle school boys and girls 3K, a youth race and the Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners Community 5K. Additionally, following all other races, there will be a Missouri State alumni event. The event is set to take place at the Missouri State Cross Country facility at 9:00 a.m. on Oct. 2.
Some of the teams competing in the collegiate race will be Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, St. Louis, Texas Tech, Toledo and University of Missouri-Kansas City.
"We are excited to continue to host big meets and bring in a national field," Hipp said, "We are bringing in teams from east and west. This event proves the quality of our facilities and the competitiveness of Missouri State cross country."
Following their home meet, the Bears will compete in the highly competitive Chili Pepper Festival on Oct. 16. Last season, Missouri State placed eighth in the field of 34. The Bears were lead by junior all-Midwest region harrier Terry Phillips, who placed 12th. The Chili Pepper Festival is also the first 6K race the Bears will run in 2010.
The Missouri Valley Conference Championship will be held at Wichita State on Oct. 30. Phillips is the reigning conference champion with her time of 18:32.00 in the rain-soaked course at last year's conference championship.
After the conference championship, Missouri State will head to Peoria, Ill. on Nov. 13 to compete in the 2010 NCAA Midwest Regional. Bradley University will host the Midwest Regional one year after hosting the MVC championship. In last year's regional, hosted by Missouri State, the Bears finished 12th as a team and Phillips was MSU's top finisher at 18th.
At the Regional, the top two teams and the top four runners not attached to a championship team advance to the NCAA National Championship in Terre Haute, Ind. Host school Indiana State is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and their home course at the La Vern Gibson Championship Cross Country Course is familiar territory to the Bears.
