Nov. 13, 2009

Center Valley, Pa. - Patriot League men and women's cross country teams and individuals will have their opportunity to qualify for the NCAA Championship on Saturday, as all eight schools compete in one of the NCAA Regional qualifying races. Army, Colgate and Holy Cross will compete at the Northeast Regional in Boston, while American, Bucknell, Lafayette, Lehigh and Navy will run at the Mid-Atlantic Regional in Princess Anne, Md.

Amy Watson of Navy was the lone League representative at last year's NCAAs. In 2007, three Patriot League student-athletes qualified for the national championship event, the most since 1993.

American was the last Patriot League men's team to compete at the NCAA championships (2006), and the Bucknell was the last League institution to compete in the NCAA Women's Championship 10 years ago.

After capturing the Patriot League title two weeks ago, the Navy men and the Bucknell women are the top League teams in their respective regional rankings. Navy ranks fourth in the men's rankings for the Mid-Atlantic Region, while the Bucknell women are sixth in the Mid-Atlantic region. Also holding regional rankings on the men's side are Bucknell (eighth, Mid-Atlantic), Lehigh (14th, Mid-Atlantic) and Army (15th, Northeast), while Navy (eighth, Mid-Atlantic) and Lafayette (15th, Mid-Atlantic) are recognized in the women's regional rankings.

Thirty-one teams and 38 individuals qualify for both the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Cross Country Championship. Eighteen teams automatically qualify to the NCAA race by finishing as one of the top two teams at any of the nine regional races. The remaining 13 at-large teams are selected by the NCAA Division I track and field subcommittee.

The top four runners at each regional meet not on an advancing team automatically moves forward to the national meet to make up 36 of the individual qualifiers. On Sunday, the NCAA selection committee will select two additional at-large runners.

Results will be available after the races on Saturday at ncaasports.com, and the full field for the 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship will be announced on Sunday. The 2009 NCAA Cross Country Championship will be held Monday, Nov. 23, on the campus of Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind.