DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's cross country team will compete in the Mid-American Conference Cross Country Championship on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Ohio University Golf Course in Athens, Ohio. The six-kilometer women's race is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+. 

Last time out, the Huskies finished 12th at the Bradley Pink Classic in the white race (Oct. 14). Brooke Valentine (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) finished 18th overall in a time of 22:49.7 to pace the Huskies. Joy Jackson (North Aurora, Ill./Benet Academy) also turned in a top-50 finish in the 190-runner field, clocking in with a time of 23:35.4 to take 41st.

Valentine has led the way for the Huskies in all four events this season, including a pair of top-10 finished, taking sixth at the Tom Hoffman Invitational (Sept. 17) and seventh at the First State Bank Huskie Challenge (Sept. 2). 

Last season, Valentine led the way for the Huskies at the MAC Championship, finishing 45th with a time of 22:37.1. Four other returning Huskies also competed in last season's conference meet with Julia Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) running 23:10.6, Jackson clocking in at 23:22.6, Katelyn Robbins (Liberty, Ill./Liberty) running a time of 24:04.1 and Emma Vorpagel (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) finishing in 24:15.2. 

Toledo comes into the MAC Championship ranked 16th in the nation in the latest United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) poll. The Rockets are also ranked third in the Great Lakes Region. Miami is ranked 10th in the region, Ohio is 11th, Bowling Green is 14th and Central Michigan is 15th in this week's regional ranking. 

Following the conference championship, NIU will travel to the NCAA Midwest Regional in Columbia, Mo., on Friday, Nov. 11.