Oct. 14, 2004

Wake Forest, N.C. - The Wake Forest cross country teams travel to the Pre-National Meet in Terre Haute, Ind., while an additional group of men travel to East Carolina for the North Carolina Collegiate Championship this Saturday. The women begin at 11:35 a.m. in Indiana, followed bye a 12:10 p.m. start for the men.

"I am excited about both of the races this weekend," said Deacon head coach Annie Bennett. "This will be the first true test of the strategies and skills we've worked on in practice."

The Pre-National meet is divided into two races, of equal size and strength in teams, for both the men and the women. The men's blue and white races consist of 37 teams each, while the women's races are split into two groups of 36.

The Deacon men will participate in the Blue Race, which features 10 top-25 teams, including regional rival William and Mary (No. 22). Two other teams, (Central Michigan and Georgia) have been ranked in the top-25 at some point this season. ACC schools, Clemson and North Carolina will also be in the men's blue race.

The women will run in the white race, which consists of nine teams ranked in the top-20, two teams previously ranked (Washington and Northern Arizona), ACC rivals Florida State and North Carolina State and closely ranked Villanova. "This will be the first time we've faced a full N.C. State team," said Bennett. "And Villanova is ranked two spots ahead of us, so we're looking forward to facing both of those teams."

An additional group of men will travel to the North Carolina Collegiate Championship at East Carolina for a 10:45 a.m. start.