PREVIEW: Ferris State Athletes Set To Compete At NCAA Cross Country Championships

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State University men's cross country team, along with senior runner Samantha Johnson on the women's side, will take part in the 2013 NCAA Division II National Championships slated for Saturday (Nov. 23) in Spokane, Wash.

The Bulldog men's team qualified for nationals for the second consecutive year on the heels of last year's appearance, which was the program's first since 1985. The Bulldog men's team will enter the national championships ranked 23rd in the country in the latest USTFCCCA Division II National Rankings.

Meanwhile, Johnson is an individual qualifier for the national championships after winning the individual crown at the 2013 NCAA Midwest Regional held on Nov. 9 in Kenosha, Wis.  She claimed both GLIAC and United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Runner of the Year honors this fall.

The NCAA Division II National Cross County meet returns to the Plantes Ferry Athletic Complex in Spokane on Saturday for the second time in three years. Thirty-two men's and 32 women's teams will compete for the national team title.  In addition, 26 men and 25 women qualified for the meet as individuals.

The women's 6,000-meter race kicks off the competition at 10:30 a.m. (PT) followed by the men's 10,000-meter run at 11:30 a.m. (Pacific time).

Adams State is the defending men's team champion.  The Grizzlies, who have won four of the last five national titles, come in as the No. 1 ranked team in the latest USTFCCCA poll.  Western State (Colo.), which won the team title in the 2011 meet at Plantes Ferry, is ranked second.

Grand Valley State (Mich.), which is the No. 1 ranked team in the latest national poll, is the defending women's team champion.  Adams State, which won seven straight national team titles between 2003 and 2009, is ranked second.

A total of 35 past All-Americans – 17 men and 18 women - are available to compete in the national meet.

The top returnees from last year's national meet are Adams State's Kevin Batt and Susan Tanui of the University of Alaska Anchorage.  Both athletes finished second a year ago.

Live video will be available at ncaa.com

Live Online Results will be available at this link:
http://www.primetimetiming.com/liveresults/2013/ncaad2xc/

The digital meet program can be found at this link:
http://www.ncaa.com/gameprograms

DIVISION II CHAMPIONSHIPS