Cross Country | 9/8/2016 11:34:00 AM

Ellensburg, Wash.- The Central Washington University cross country team is set to host the CWU Invitational on Saturday Sept. 10. The men's 6-km race is slated to begin at 4 p.m. PST, followed by the women's 4-km at 4:45 at Rotary Park in Ellensburg, Wash.
 
Coming off a successful 2015 campaign, the CWU cross country team heads into another season as a member of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference.
 
Last season, the women's team placed sixth at the West Regional and just missed qualifying for the National Championships by five points, getting edged out by Seattle Pacific University. The men's team placed 14th overall at the West Regionals. 
 
Returning for the Wildcat men will be 15 veteran athletes and nine true freshmen. The women's side will include 11 returning athletes and eight freshmen.
 
Athletes on the women's team to keep an eye out for on Saturday include sophomore Alexa Shindruk and senior Stephanie Rexus. Shindruk is coming off an impressive freshman season where she was the third Wildcat to finish at the West Regional and placed 33rd overall, followed by Rexus in 69th.
 
Highlighting the field for the men's team will be sophomore Jonathan Lafferty. Lafferty showed maturity as a true freshman, leading the men's team for the majority of the season. With a year of experience under his belt, look for Lafferty to assume a role in the front of the pack as one of the elite runners racing on Saturday afternoon.
 
The 2015 freshman class is once again saturated with talents as the Wildcats add 20 skilled student-athletes poised to make their collegiate debuts.
 
Admission is free to all fans.

Race results and a full recap of Saturday's action will be posted on WildcatSports.com on Saturday evening.