Michigan 2021 Cross Country Schedules Announced
8/6/2021 11:50:00 AM | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
• 2021 U-M Cross Country Schedules: Men | Women
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Newly appointed director of track and field and cross country Kevin Sullivan announced on Friday (Aug. 6) the full 2021 schedule for the University of Michigan men's and women's cross country teams.
In what is due to be the first full and regularly scheduled slate of cross competitions since 2019 after the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic shifted the 2020 campaign into an abbreviated winter timeframe, the Wolverines will open up at home in four weeks' time for the Sept. 3 Michigan Open at Hudson-Mills Metropark in Dexter before a nearly two-month build-up to the postseason in October and November.
Michigan will return to the Big Ten Championships for the first time since 2019 -- the Wolverines were forced out of the 2020 edition due to a department-wide pause on athletic activities in January -- as the meet is set to be run at Penn State on Oct. 29.
That competition serves as a prelude to the NCAA postseason, which begins nearly two weeks later on Nov. 11 with the Great Lakes Regional in Evansville, Ind. Pending the results from regionals, Michigan could compete at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 20 in Tallahassee, Fla.
The Wolverine women will aim to lengthen their NCAA Championships qualifying streak to 20 consecutive seasons, while the men have advanced in eight of the past 10 seasons.
Between the opener and the postseason, the two teams will travel to a combined five different states in pursuit of quality competition to sharpen their performances and build their postseason resumes.
Both teams hit the road for the first time for the Penn State Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational on Sept. 10 in what will be a preview of the Big Ten Championships course at Penn State's Blue and White Golf Courses.
Both squads are set to run again three weeks later, albeit in different states. The men will face a tough test on Oct. 1 at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational, while the women will compete at the Greater Louisville Classic the following morning (Oct. 2).
The regular season comes to its crescendo two weekends later on Oct. 15 with a pair of meets that in terms of quality and depth are outclassed only by the national championships themselves. The Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invitational and its stacked fields awaits the men, while the women will once again take to the trails at Penn State for the Penn State National Open.
A final tuneup opportunity comes a week later as the Wolverines return to Dexter for the Eastern Michigan Fall Classic on Oct. 22, and the postseason awaits a week later.
