The University of Minnesota Duluth men's cross country team will compete in the NSIC Conference Championships hosted by Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb., this Saturday.

The Bulldogs will encounter three regionally-ranked teams at the event: Augustana (1st), UMary (4th), and Sioux Falls (7th). Augustana is also ranked fourth in the country, and is the only NSIC team to receive a national ranking.

The men had a strong start to their year, placing second in the Twin Cities Twilight -- their first race of the 2021 season -- and repeating as Dan Conway Classic Champions. The team took 11th overall in the Roy Griak Invitational and came in 17th in the Lewis Crossover.

Matthew Trutna and Lucas Selman have had standout seasons this year, pacing the Bulldogs for most races so far this year, and the team will look to them to continue their ways at the conference championship.

Head Coach Karly Brautigam is optimistic heading into the weekend: "Our men's team is in an exciting position to go out and surprise some people if we race together and race with confidence. This group has incredible leadership and has been committed all year to competing for one another and the Bulldog uniform."

The men's race will begin at 11:15am on Saturday. Live results will be available from Dakota Timing.