The cross country team will make its first appearance at the Paul Short Invitational in Bethlehem, Pa., Fri., Sept. 28.

After claiming first-place notches in its last two meets, the men's squad hopes to continue its first-place streak. The men will race against 42 other schools on the 8K course. Two newcomers, Logan Culotta and Gilbert Limo, will compete with teammates Cory Higgins, Silas Kemboi, John Means, Zach Quinones, Edwin Sang and Pedro Vargas. In the team's last meet, Sang led the Red Raider pack and finished third at Tech's Jackrabbit Open.

The Tech men will face tough competition at the meet. The Raiders will be among nationally ranked teams, Syracuse and Princeton.

The No. 23 ranked women's team will compete against 46 other schools including No. 13 Princeton and No. 28 Tennessee, on the women's 6K course. Newcomers Chep Boit, Michelle Guzman and Katherine Priebe will contribute the team in the meet, along with veterans Asia Diaz, Michelle Edman, Irene Kimaiyo, Gladys Kipsang and Sally Kipyego. Six out of the eight runners attending the Paul Short finished in the top 10 at the Jackrabbit Open, including Kipyego, Kimaiyo and Diaz, who finished first, second and sixth, respectively.

The men's race begins at 1 p.m. EST and the women are set for 1:40 p.m. Friday on Goodman Campus.

Texas Tech will host the 2007 Big 12 Cross Country Championships Oct. 26 at the Jerry S. Rawls Course.