Sept. 30, 1999

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – More than 60 of the nation’s top collegiate cross country squads will compete this Friday, Oct. 1, at the Notre Dame Golf Course for the 44th adidas/Notre Dame Invitational.

The men’s 8K race, now in its 44th year, features teams from as far west as Idaho State and as far east as Georgetown. This year’s race also includes three teams ranked in the top 20 at the division I level, four teams within the top 25 at the division II level and three teams ranked in the top 10 of the division III level.

The women’s 5K race, which has been run every year since 1987, includes 21 teams from Oregon out in the West to Cornell in the East. The 14th-ranked Irish will receive stiff competition from 13th-ranked Missouri as well as several of the top division II and III squads from across the nation. Notre Dame’s JoAnna Deeter returns to defend her individual title after winning last year’s race with a time of 16:50.

The adidas/Notre Dame Invitational includes four races. The men’s gold division will kick the day off at 2:45 p.m., followed by the men’s and women’s open race at 3:30 p.m. The women’s race begins at 4:15 p.m. and the invitational will conclude with the men’s blue division race at 5:00 p.m.

The Notre Dame Invitational was started by former Irish cross country coach Alex Wilson in 1956, which makes it one of the oldest invitationals in the nation.