Sept. 12, 2008

RUSTON -- Louisiana Tech head coach Gary Stanley and his cross country teams are hoping for some good weather Saturday, Sept. 13, at Lincoln Parish Park in Ruston, La., as the 2008 Mook 4 Invitational is slated to begin at 9 a.m. for the men and 9:45 for the women.

The largest field in recent memory was originally scheduled to compete. Twelve total teams were going to make up the competition before Hurricane Ike, the second major hurricane to come through the Gulf of Mexico in three weeks, forced a few of the schools to drop out of competition.

As of Friday afternoon, Louisiana Tech, Grambling State, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, UL-Lafayette, Jackson State, Xavier, Centenary and Louisiana College are still scheduled to compete in the four-mile race for the men and four-kilometer race for the women.

Tech's lineup for the men is nearly identical to last season with the exception of three familiar faces that elected to red-shirt the 2007 season in the hopes that a more mature team can do some great things in the 2008 year.

Seniors Zac Schuler, Kinsey Dinnel and Nate Davis will return to the squad and join sophomores Chico Cortez, Jack Ramstad, Kyle Davis and David Monroe.

The men will begin the race at 9 a.m.