Holland Reporter

Grand Valley State University's cross country teams are preparing for the 2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Cross Country Championships. The event will take place on Saturday, October 26, in Big Rapids, Michigan, hosted by Ferris State. The men's team will compete in an 8k race starting at 11 a.m., followed by the women's 6k race at 11:45 a.m.

In the previous year, Grand Valley's teams dominated the championships. The women's team secured their 22nd consecutive conference title with a perfect score of 15 points for the third time in their history and fourth time in GLIAC history. The men's team also claimed victory with their 21st consecutive title and an overall score of 21 points.

Both teams have maintained their top positions in the GLIAC and NCAA Midwest Region rankings since the preseason. The men's team started ranked fifth nationally according to the USTFCCCA Division II National Coaches' Poll, moved up to fourth in week four, and have held that position since then. The women's team is ranked second nationally heading into postseason competition.

The women's squad will feature twelve athletes, including key runners Abby Olson, Allie Arnsman, and Abby VanderKooi. Lauren Kiley is set to make her season debut after recovering from an injury that kept her out during the regular season.

On the men's side, twelve athletes along with two alternates will participate in the championship. Caleb Futter, Koby Fraaza, and Brock Wooderson have been leading performers for the men's team this season. Futter has been recognized twice as GLIAC Cross Country Athlete of the Week due to his performances against Division I opponents at events like the Spartan Invitational and Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite.

The championships will be available for streaming on FloSports with live results accessible on MyRaceResult. Final results and awards will be shared on both X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram under @GVSUXCTF.