Aquinas set to host Great Lakes Challenge

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - (AQ Release) - Aquinas is set to host one of the premiere meets in cross country this weekend in the 14th Annual Great Lakes Challenge. The meet on Oct. 22 features some of the best teams in the NAIA and includes both men's and women's teams running at Riverside Park.

In the men's race, 19 of the 27 teams are ranked or receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll. The field includes No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 6 Saint Mary, No. 8 Grace, No. 12 Huntington, No. 13 Grand View, No. 14 Goshen, No. 15 Cornerstone, No. 17 St. Francis (Ill.), No. 20 Taylor, No. 21 Spring Arbor, No. 23 Lawrence Tech, and No. 24 Shawnee State. Representing the WHAC along with Aquinas is Cornerstone, UM-Dearborn, Lawrence Tech, and Madonna that will be racing in the maroon division, while Indiana Tech, UM-Dearborn, Concordia, Lourdes, Siena Heights and Cleary will race in the White Division.

For the women, 17 of the 25 teams attending are ranked or receiving votes in the latest national poll. Along with the No. 14 Saints is No. 2 Taylor, No. 3 St. Mary, No. 4 St. Francis (Ill.), No. 7 Cornerstone, No. 9 Grace, No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 17 Huntington, No. 19 Carroll, No. 20 Cumberlands (Ken.), No. 23 Goshen, No. 24 Indiana Tech and No. 25 Rocky Mountain. The WHAC is also well represented in the maroon race as Cornerstone, Indiana Tech and Madonna join Aquinas. In the white race will be Concordia, Lourdes, Cleary, Madonna, Lawrence Tech and Siena Heights.

The men's maroon race is the first event to go off at 10 a.m. with the white division running at 11:45 a.m. The first women's race goes off at 11 a.m., with the second going off at 12:45 p.m. Awards for the maroon races are at noon and the white races awards happen at 1:30 p.m.