LOUISVILLE, KY (Sept. 30, 2010) More than 2000 cross-country runners from 97 colleges and universities and 20 states will compete Saturday in the 9th Annual Greater Louisville Classic. The event, to be held at E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park, will be the largest collegiate meet in the South, organizers said.

The field includes 29 men's teams and 23 women's teams that are ranked in various national and regional cross-country polls.

In addition, more than 1,200 high school and middle school runners from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Ohio will compete in races after the collegiate event is completed.

The event is sponsored by the Louisville Sports Commission, a nonprofit organization that attracts sports events to the region for economic development.

In the men's race, defending team champion University of Louisville, ranked No. 7 in the Southeast Region, should face a strong challenge from Colorado School of Mines, ranked No. 3 in theNCAA Division 2 National Coaches Poll, and Ohio Valley Conference power Eastern Kentucky University, ranked No. 6 in the Southeast Region. Other strong contenders include highly ranked Division 2 teams such as No. 4 Grand Valley State (MI), No. 7University of Southern Indiana and No. 8 Queens University of Charlotte, NC. Other teams to watch include Southeastern Conference members University of GeorgiaandUniversity of Mississippi, ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in theSouth Region, Missouri Valley Conference school Southern Illinois University, ranked No. 9 in the Midwest Region, andSouthern Conference member Davidson College (NC), ranked No. 11 in the Southeast Region. Schools expected to contend for the women's team title include Vanderbilt University and the University of Georgia, ranked No. 3 and No. 4 respectively in the South Region,along with Grand Valley State University (MI) and Shippensburg University (PA), ranked No. 2 and No. 4 respectively in Division 2.

Some of the best runners in the country will participate. On the men's side, they include Mississippi's Barnabas Kirui(2007 NCAA national steeplechase champion and fourth-place finisher at last year's NCAA cross county nationals), Michael Crouch of Queens University (2009 Division 2 outdoor national 1,500 champion) andHarding University's Daniel Kirwa(2009 Division 2 cross country national runner-up). University of Louisville teammates MattHughes(2010 NCAA national steeplechase champion) and MichaelEaton(2008 track All-American) should also contend for top 10 honors in the men's race along with Eastern Kentucky University'sBouchikhi Soufiane.

The women's individual race showcases two of the nation's finest collegiate distance runners - Shippensburg's Neely Spence (2008 Division 2 national cross country runner-up and two-time national 5,000 meter national champion) and Western Washington's Sarah Porter, (2009 Division 2 national cross country runner-up and this year's 10,000 meter national runner-up).. Other contenders include Western Kentucky University's Marion Kandie, University of Kentucky's Chelsea Oswald, U of L's Kim Grieshaber and Eastern Kentucky University's Picoty Leitich.

For further information contact Brooke Ballard (502) 599-7657 or meet director David Lawhorn at (502) 330-1933

Greater Louisville Classic

Saturday, October 2, 2010

E.P. Tom Sawyer State Park

Schedule of College Events

Men's Gold race 9:30 a.m.

Women's Gold race 10:15 a.m.

Men's Blue race 11:00 a.m.

Women's Blue race 11:45 a.m.

Men's Silver race 12:30 p.m.

Women's Silver race 1:15 p.m.

Schedule of High School & Middle School Events

Boys Varsity 5k 2:30

Girls varsity 5k 3:00

Boys JV 5k 3:45

Girls JV 5k 4:30

Middle School Boys 4k 5:00

Middle School Girls 4k 5:30