Wayne State College will host some of the nation's premier cross country runners this weekend at the 2009 NCAA Division II Central Regional Championships on Saturday, November 7^th at the Wayne Country Club.  The women's race (6,000 meters) will start at 10:00 a.m. Saturday with the men's race (10,000 meters) scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m.  A total of 24 schools from two different conferences (Northern Sun Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) will compete at the meet.  The region is loaded with talented runners, producing the team champions at the NCAA Division II national championships in the women's division for the last 17 years in a row while the men's national champion has come from this region nine of the last 11 seasons. 

            The women's division features five of the top 15 teams in the nation led by six-time defending national champion Adams State of Colorado, who is ranked fourth in NCAA Division II according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Top 25 rankings.  Other teams from the Central Region ranked in the Top 25 nationally are Augustana of South Dakota (7^th), Western State (12^th), Minnesota Duluth (13^th), Mesa State (15^th) and Colorado School of Mines (23^rd).  Adams State won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference women's title while Augustana captured the Northern Sun Conference women's championships two weeks ago.  Kristen McGlynn of Adams State won the women's RMAC individual title while Morgan Place of Minnesota Duluth captured the NSIC individual crown two weeks ago.

            The men's division features three of the top five teams in the country with five ranked in the Top 25 nationally.  Defending Division II national champion Adams State of Colorado is ranked #1 nationally with Western State of Colorado in second and Colorado School of Mines in fifth.  Other Central Region teams ranked nationally are Metro State 13^th and Augustana (SD) ranked 21^st.  Adams State and Augustana also won their respective conference championships two weeks ago to gain momentum heading into Saturday's regional meet in Wayne.  Individual conference champions include Reuben Mwei of Adams State in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and James Krajsa of Minnesota State won the Northern Sun Conference men's title.

            The top five men's teams and the top six women's teams will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships in Evansville, Indiana on November 21.  The top two individuals that are not on a national qualifying team will also advance to the national championships.