GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Aquinas hosts the 5th Annual NAIA Great Lakes Cross Country Challenge this Saturday, Oct. 20, at Riverside Park. The competition is the biggest NAIA cross country meet in the country and , attracts 37 schools, including some of the top NAIA teams in the nation.

The women's race features 12 of the top 40 teams in the country, including #3 Olivet Nazarene (Ill.),  and Wolverine Hoosier Athletic Conference members #9 Cornerstone and #14 Aquinas.  Top individuals in the women's race include Olivet Nazarene's Kortney Ellingboe, Bianca Kubicki of Madonna, Anna Bos of Trinity Christian (Ill.) and Hilary Halford of St. Francis (Ill.).

The men's race looks equally competitive as 11 of the top 40 teams in the country are competing.  Top 25 ranked teams in the field include #3 St. Francis (Ill.), #6 Shawnee State (Ohio), #11 Aquinas, #13 Spring Arbor (Mich.), #19 Indiana Wesleyan, and #23 Cornerstone.  The individual race should be exciting as Spring Arbor's Nathan Martin, Brad Liston of Shawnee State,and  Phil Rizzo and Mike Blaszczyk of St. Francis run for the individual title.

The men's race will start at 11:00 a.m. with the women's race to follow at noon.