Four races within the state of Indiana, including the season-opening Crusader Open at Sunset Hills Farm, will prepare the Valparaiso men's and women's cross country teams for the Horizon League Championships as head coach Mike Straubel announced the Crusaders’ 2012 schedule today.

The Crusader Open will be contested for the 24^th time in 2012, and for the 19^th straight year it will serve as Valpo’s season-opening meet.  Action at Sunset Hills Farm on Friday, Aug. 31 begins at 5 p.m. with the women’s race, set for five kilometers, while the men’s 6K will follow at 5:45 p.m.

Two weeks later, Valpo will travel to Terre Haute to run in the Indiana Intercollegiates on Sept. 14.  On Sept. 28, a brief jaunt to the east is in the cards as the Crusaders will run at the Notre Dame Invitational, while Valpo’s final tuneup comes on Oct. 13 as it travels downstate to cover the course at the Evansville Invitational.

With four races under their belts, the Crusaders will aim to be peaking for the 2012 Horizon League Championships, hosted this year in Kenosha, Wis. and scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27.  The NCAA Great Lakes Regional is slated to be run Saturday, Nov. 9 in Madison, Wis.