Both the University of Minnesota Duluth men and women will be in Denver, Colo., this Saturday (Nov. 5)  to compete in the NCAA Division II Central Region Cross Country Championships, hosted by Metro State University.

The women's 6,000-meter race is set to start at 11 a.m. at Washington Park with the men's 10,000-meter event to follow at 12 p.m.

Twenty four schools are entered in the women's competion and 22 in the men's. The top five women's teams and top six men's team will qualify for the NCAA Championship  on Nov. 19 in Spokane, Wash.  The UMD women are currently ranked 7th in the region while the men are ninth.

UMD senior and three-time cross country All-American Morgan Place is seeking her fourth trip to the NCAA II nationals.  Place captured the 2009 North Central Regionl title while helping UMD gain its third berth ever to the NCAA II Championships (joining the 2008 and 1994 teams). The Bulldog men have also made three trips to the NCAA II Championships (2004, 2003, and 1971).