Sept. 9, 2010

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue men's cross country team is set to open its season this weekend, heading to Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne on Saturday for the IPFW Invitational. The men's 8K race is scheduled to run at 11:30 a.m. as the Boilermaker men look to replicate the outstanding opener the Purdue women had last Friday.

The Purdue women's team opened the Boilermakers' schedule last weekend, hosting Ball State University for the annual Great American Legends race. They swept the top four spots led by sophomore co-captain Camille Buscomb's time of 18:07.63, while junior co-captain Kara Conflenti, fellow junior Stephanie Bonk and sophomore Kelly McCurdy all came in under 18:35. The Boilermakers' top five finishers posted an average 5K time of 18:34.11 in the opener, which is faster than the top individual time from the squad's 2009 opener.

The Boilermaker men hope to follow suit on Friday, led by 2009 NCAA Championship qualifier Caden Shields. A senior, Shields earned the Boilermakers' first bid to nationals since 1987, earning all-region honors with a 10th-place effort at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional Championships. He'll look for support this weekend from a host of harriers, including junior co-captains Cale Allen and Ladd Mercer, classmates Simon Rogers and Charles White, and sophomores Stephen Schulz, Steven Stoot and Chris Surfus. Freshmen Eddie Mulder and Scott Vicenzi are both set for their Boilermaker debuts, coming to Purdue with solid prep credentials.

"The men are more than ready for their opening race," said Purdue head coach Jack Warner. "All our returners have an extra year of competition and training under their belts, while our first-years are anxious to get into the mix. Friday should be a great reflection of our hard work in the off-season."

Saturday's men's race will feature seven other teams from the Midwest, including NCAA Division I opponents Western Illinois, IUPUI, Oakland and the host Mastodons. The rest of the field will be comprised of Grace College, the University of St. Francis and Indiana Tech.

Full results and a recap of Saturday's action will be available upon the completion of race at PurdueSports.com.

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