Sept. 15, 2005

Coach John Elders will split his Cal State Fullerton cross country squad this weekend, taking the majority to Seattle, Washington, for the Sundodger Invitational. Nine women and seven men will fly north while the balance of the squad competes at the Aztec Invitational in Balboa Park in San Diego.

More than 900 runners from 41 teams are entered in the 14th annual Sundodger Invitational at West Seattle's Lincoln Park.

The meet is so large it's split into four races with an invitational field for Division I-type runners and an open field for smaller schools and club teams. The women's open race starts at 9 a.m. followed by the men's open at 9:40, women's invitational at 10:25 and men's invitational at 11. Women will race 6,000 meters and the men will race 8k.

This year's field is one of the deepest in years, with full teams from UCLA, Washington State, Idaho and Fullerton, a men's team from Portland, a women's team from Oregon State and full squads from dozens of Northwest clubs and small colleges. The UW men will be gunning for an unprecedented fourth consecutive Sundodger team victory. Idaho won the women's title last season.

In San Diego there will be both Open and Invitational Divisions in both the men's and women's competition. Among the schools entered from outside of Southern California are Northern Arizona, UNLV, Arkansas, Mesa, Pima and Yavapai Colleges of Arizona.

^TMTM