The Drake University men's and women's cross country teams begin their 2016 season on Friday evening in nearby Iowa City, Iowa, at the Hawkeye Invitational.
The season opening race comes after just one week of official training and is the Bulldogs' first opportunity to set the benchmark for future training. The field will include Iowa, Iowa State, Illinois State, Illinois' men's team, UNI, Creighton Missouri and Bradley on the Ashton Cross Country Course.
The women's race, which begins at 6 p.m., will be a 3-kilometer race followed by a men's 6-kilometer race at 6:45 p.m.
Drake's women's team features a youthful roster with just two upperclassmen and one returning conference scorer in Bailee Cofer (Overland Park, Kan.