The University of Minnesota Duluth men's and women's cross country teams will commence their respective 2005 seasons Saturday (Sept. 10) by hosting the Campus Quest Invitational. The women will usher in the new year first with their 5K race at 10:30 a.m. followed by the men's 8K event, which is scheduled to get underway at 11:15 a.m. Both events will start just west of Malosky Stadium near the shot put/discus throw area.

THE TEAMS: Several area institutions will be running with the Bulldogs in this Saturday's second annaul event including Lakehead University (Thunder Bay, Onterio), Northland College, the College St. Scholastica and the Unverisity of Wisconsin-Superior. Also joining the field will be Gustavus Adolphus College and Mankato-based Bethany Luteran College.

THE COACH: A long-time collegiate cross country coaching veteran, John Fulkrod is entering his 14th season as men's head coach and his 12th year as leader of the women's team in 2005. Fulkrod, who also serves as the head coach of the UMD men's and women's track and field squads, led the Bulldogs to their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Div. II Cross Country Championships in 1994 while capturing ten straight Northern Sun Intercollegiate Championships spanning from 1994-2003 and has produced the school's only two NCAA All-Americans (Sara Frederickson in 2004 and Tammy Stang in 2001). Also during the Fulrod era, the UMD men have qualified for the NCAA Championships each of the past two seasons and rattled off 12 consecutive NSIC titles (1992-2003) before the Bulldogs joined the North Central Conference in 2004.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Among 14 returning lettermen, junior Brian Polski (Apple Valley, Minn.), along with sophomores John Kallemeyn (Elk River, Minn.) and 2004 UMD Rookie of the Year Eric Atkinson (Spooner, Wis.), will look to fill the sizable void left in the wake of track All-American distance runners Nate Beerling and Robb Winterfeld. The trio of Polski, Atkinson and Kallemeyn all finished in UMD's top five at the conclusion of the 2004 cross country season and each of them are coming off strong track campaigns. Also expected to make an immediate impact are juniors Sam Anderson (Ironton, Minn.) and Ben Cogger (Washburn, Wis.), both of whom will serve as veterans to a team with an assortment of young freshmen potential that includes two 2004 Minn. State High School section champions in Tyler Bjorhus (Borup, Minn) from Section 8A Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton and Dan Huebsch (Staples, Minn.) of Section 6A Staples-Motley. Meanwhile, the women will look to senior co-captains Abby Demulling (New Richmond, Wis.) and Kim Chapman (Winona, Minn.) to lead a team that will welcome the return of 2004 Most Valuable UMD Runner Sara Frederickson (Elk River, Minn.). On Nov. 20, 2004, Frederickson placed 31st out of a field of 188 individuals at the NCAA Div. II Championships in Evansville, Ind., an accomplishment that highlighted her stellar All-American season. Also looking to make an impression in 2005 are juniors Nicole Anderson (Crosby, Minn.), Kassie Kaas (Hermantown, Minn.) and Kristin Zinsmaster (Hurley, Wis.), all vying to fill spaces left in the departures of last year's No. 2 runner Erin Foss and No. 4 runner Jill Sullivan. Headlining a promising freshmen class is Greata Ganley (Spring Lake Park, Minn.), who clocked a 5:12 1,600-meter run time last spring and will look to transfer her track success to the trails this fall.

INJURY UPDATE: Senior three-time cross country letterwinner Neil Olson (Ladysmith, Wis.) is currently sidelined with an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out of action until Oct. and 2004 UMD Rookie of the Year Sarah Chapman (Apple Valley, Minn.) will redshirt the 2005 cross country season while she recovers from surgery to her foot and achilles tendon.