The University of Minnesota Duluth men's and women's cross country teams will return to the Lewis Cross over Saturday in Romeoville, Ill. on the Lewis Cross Country Course. The women's 6k race will get underway at 9:45 a.m., while the men's 8k race will follow with a 10:30 a.m. start.

THE CROSSOVER: The Bulldogs will run in Romeoville for a fifth-straight season – while UMD was signed up to run the race in 2020, the entire season was canceled due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Since then, the massive race has been on the Bulldogs schedule.

Last season, the meet featured a total of 1,100 athletes across all four races, as well as 52 different schools from all eight NCAA Division II regions. Then fifth-year senior Jack Vankempen set a school record with a time of 24:35.65 that placed him 35th overall in the men's championship race. The lone returning top-five runner for UMD is junior Noah Foster (third for UMD, 189th overall- 25:49.90).

Finishing first for the Bulldog women last season was then fifth-year senior Franny Seidel, who crossed the line in a time of 22:37.07,  good for 74th place overall.  Junior Ellie Hanowski (third for UMD, 126th overall- 23:07.28) is the only Bulldog woman to return who finished in a top-five UMD slot last season.

LAST TIME OUT:  The Bulldogs raced in the Blugold Invitational in Colfax, Wis. on the Whitetail Golf Course, last Friday, the first appearance by both Bulldog squads in the meet since 2018.

The women ran to a third place podium finish behind graduate Shaelyn Hostager's fourth place finish (22:02.4). Hanowski followed in 14th (22:53.1), while senior Elizabeth VanLoon finished 16th 22:55.1. Senior Kira Almsberger and junior Rachel Ulrich rounded out the top-five for the Bulldogs – Almsberger in 45th (23:36.6) and Ulrich in 70th (23:58.7).

On the men's side, freshman Isaac Dickenson was UMD's top finisher in 97th place with a time of 26:48.4 for the Bulldogs, who finished 20th overall. Sophomore Connor Bialka placed 136rd (27:16.6), while junior Nolan Bakken finished in 166rd (27:50.4). Foster (173rd in 27:58.2) and sophomore Dylan Taggart (182nd, 28:12.3) were fourth and fifth for UMD's point totals.

UP NEXT: UMD will take next week off from outside competition ahead of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Championships which will take place Friday, Oct. 24 at the Wayne Country Club in Wayne, Neb.