LEBANON, Ill. – The McKendree men's and women's cross country teams will host the McKendree Bearcat Cross Country Classic here Friday afternoon at the McK Cross Country course, which is located on the former Hills Golf Club at McKendree course.

Friday's event will feature an 8K race for the men and a 5K race for the women. The men's race begins at 3 p.m., with the women to follow at 3:45 p.m.

McKendree is one of nine schools sending both their men's and women's teams to compete at the event. In addition to McKendree, the other schools participating are Hannibal-LaGrange, Kaskaskia College, Maryville University, Missouri Baptist, Southeast Missouri State, St. Charles Community College, UMSL and University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy.

Friday's meet will be the third of the season for the Bearcats, who are coached by first-year coach Brydon Groves-Scott, as McKendree opened the season at the Redhawks Invitational in Cape Girardeau, Mo., on Sept. 2, before competing last Friday at the Bradley Intercollegiate at Detweiler Park in Peoria, Ill.

Leading the way for the Bearcat men's team this season is freshman John Bush (Ballwin, Mo./Marquette), who has been the top finisher in both of this season meets as he placed 42nd at the Redhawks Invitational with a 6K time of 20:55.1 and then posted an 8K time of 27:14.5 to finish in 28th place at the Bradley Intercollegiate.

Meanwhile, leading the way for the women's team this season is freshman Sophia Paschal (Godfrey, Ill.Alton), who has been the top finisher in both of this season's meets as she placed 40th overall with 4K time of 16:51 at the Redhawks Invitational and then posted a 3-mile time of 20:33.4 at the Bradley Intercollegiate.

Following Friday's meet, the Bearcats will compete at the Border War XC Championships hosted by Principia College and held at Principia's North Farm XC Course in Elsah, Ill., on Friday, Oct. 7. The North Farm XC Course will host the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships that McKendree is hosting on Nov. 5.