The Drake University cross country  teams  are back in action on Friday, Sept. 3 at the Hawkeye Invitational at the University of Iowa. The women are set to compete in the 4,000 meters at 6 p.m. while the men will contest the 6,000 meters at 6:45 p.m. on the Ashton Cross Country Course in Iowa City, Iowa. 

The Drake Men enter the season ranked 15th in the Preseason Midwest Regional USTFCCCA Rankings. Both men and women finished in third place at the MVC Championships last season. Drake's third-place finish by the women's team was the program's highest finish by the women's team since 2000 and the men recorded their third-straight top-three finish.

The men return three of their top scorers in Adam Fogg, Jack Zettl, and Isaac Basten. Fogg finished runner-up at the conference meet last season. 

The women return four of the their top scorers in Brooke Mullins, Ashlee Siegle, Ana Kirillov, and Bella Evan-Cook. Mullins was named MVC Freshman of the Year after her seventh place finish at the conference meet. 

The Bulldogs are set to be joined by Bradley, Creighton, UIC, Illinois State, Iowa Central CC, Iowa State, Loyola, Northern Illinois, UNI and Northwestern in the season opener.

A contingent of Bulldogs will also compete Saturday, Sept. 4th at the John Kurtt Fall Invite at Wartburg College.