LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Last week Head Coach Sean Henning's Biola Cross Country teams were selected number one in the PacWest Conference preseason coaches' poll. This week the teams have the chance to get their shoes in the dirt and get running as they begin the 2018 season with the Biola Invitational at Craig Regional Park.

THIS WEEK: Biola Invitational - Craig Regional Park (Fullerton, Calif.) - Saturday, Sept. 8 2018 at 8:00 a.m. (8k first)

BIOLA INVITATIONAL: Saturday Sept. 8 at 8:00 a.m. \\ Live Results
This week the Eagles host the third annual Biola Invitational at Ted Craig Regional Park. The competition field features six men's teams and eight men's teams. Biola placed first of 10 on the men's side in 2017 and second of 12 on the women's side. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps was the women's winner and men's runner-up and returns for the meet again this year. Point Loma's women's team is the only other PacWest squad in the mix. The rest of the field is made up of local NCAA Division III programs and Biola's old Golden State Athletic Conference rival, Westmont.

Four of Biola's top-5 men and five of its top-7 from last year's race are returning in 2018. Ryan Thompson and Gabe Plendcio paced the Eagles' effort at their home course with season-opening times of 5:05, finishing third and fourth, respectively. The women's race leaves room for a bit more change as just three of the Eagles' top-5 is returning, with the departure of Stephanie Croy and Hannah Hunsaker. However, both of the Eagles' sixth and seventh runners are returning. Sophomore Mackenna Mason was BU's top runner at the event in 2017, finishing second in the event with a time of 17:56. Mandy Reyes was the next-best returner in the bunch, placing 12th with an 18:37.

NOTE: Craig Regional Park does charge $5 per vehicle for parking during the weekends. Entry to the race is free.

NEXT EVENT: San Francisco State Invitational - Golden Gate Park's Speedway Meadow (San Francisco, Calif.) - Friday, Sept. 21, 2018 at 3:30 p.m. (8k first).