Valparaiso cross country head coach Mike Straubel announced today the Crusaders’ schedule for the upcoming 2016 season, featuring the season-opening Crusader Open.

The Crusader Open will be contested for the 28^th time in 2016, and for the 23^rd straight year it will serve as Valpo’s season-opening meet.  Action at Sunset Hills Farm on Friday, Sept. 2 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, the Valpo squad will split up for a pair of races, as some Crusaders will head to San Diego on Sept. 17 for the USD Invite, while others will run at the Gil Dodds Invitational in Warrenville, Ill., hosted by Wheaton College.  On Sept. 30, the Crusaders will head east on the toll road to run at the Notre Dame Invitational, while Valpo’s final tuneup comes on Oct. 14 as it travels to Peoria, Ill. to cover the course at the Bradley Classic.

With four races under their belts, the Crusaders will aim to be peaking for the 2016 Horizon League Championships, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 29 in Kenosha, Wis.  The NCAA Great Lakes Regional is slated to be run Friday, Nov. 11 in Madison, Wis.