DES MOINES, IOWA --  The Drake men's cross country team will open its season hosting the annual Bulldog Classic this Friday at Ewing Park, located on the south side of Des Moines. The 4,000-meter race will begin at 5:30 p.m.

LAST YEAR: Then freshman Colin Hagan (Wichita, Kan.) finished fifth to lead the Drake men at the 2008 Bulldog Classic, being timed in 12 minutes 36 seconds for 4,000 meters. Then Drake junior Jeff Grassmeyer (Fremont, Neb.) was seventh in 12:41, while then Drake 
freshman Derek Campbell (Sycamore, Ill.) was eighth in 12:59.

SIZING UP THE MEN'S TEAM: The Drake men's team finished fifth in the 2008 Missouri Valley Conference Championship and 14th in the NCAA Midwest Regional. Drake senior Andrew Haigh (Auckland, New Zealand) is the team's top runner from last year after placing 19th in the MVC 
Championship. Colin Hagan placed 26th in the Meet.

Head coach Dan Hostager is hoping fifth-year senior Jeff Grassmeyer can regain his old form after being redshirted in 2008. Grassmeyer, who won the 5,000-meter run at the 2007 Missouri Valley Conference outdoor track meet, is looking to rebound after battling a stress fracture in his left shin last year.

PRESEASON MVC POLL: Drake was tabbed to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Cross Country Preseason Poll, earning 42 points. Southern Illinois, garnering eight first-place votes, was picked to defend its league title with 79 points followed by Indiana State at 71. Rounding out the poll was Illinois State in third (66 points), Wichita State fourth (46), Drake fifth (42), Northern Iowa sixth (41) , Bradley seventh (26); Evansville eighth (19); and Creighton ninth with 15 points.