West Central Reporter

The University of Missouri is set to host the 2022 NCAA Midwest Regional Meet on Friday, November 11th. The event will feature a women's 6K race at 11 a.m., followed by a men's 10K race at noon. These regional meets serve as qualifiers for the NCAA Championships in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

The top two teams from each region will automatically qualify for the national championships, while an additional 13 teams will receive bids based on points earned from specific wins against other qualified teams. Individual athletes can also qualify if they place in the top 25 and are among the top four finishers not on a qualifying team.

For many teams, including Western Illinois Cross Country, this regional meet marks their first 10K race of the year. Coach Trey Brokaw commented on their preparations: "We got the chance to race at Mizzou earlier this season; that will give us an advantage having seen the course. I am excited to see how our men race at the longer distance. Our 10k school record of 31:25, set by Dan Albert in 1976, will be in reach this weekend."

Western Illinois' women's team is also looking forward to competing on familiar terrain. Freshman Aylana Cezar expressed her strategy: "We know we have to do a great warm-up for the race. The course at Mizzou is very hilly. I have prepared mentally. I plan to stay with the pack as long as I can and go for another personal record."

The NCAA DI Nationals are scheduled to take place in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on November 19th, 2022.