WHAT'S AHEAD: The Drake men's cross country team will compete in the 37th annual Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago, Ill.,  this Saturday. The 8,000-meter race at Loyola, which is expected to draw more than 400 collegians, will begin at 11 a.m. at the Montrose Avenue Beach off North Lake Shore Drive.

A LOOK BACK: Facing its sternest competition of the young season, the Drake men's cross country team finished 15th in the Roy Griak Invitational last Saturday in Falcon Heights, Minn. The Bulldogs tallied 461 points in the meet which featured some of the top cross country programs in the country. It also marked the first time this fall Drake had competed in an 8,000-meter race.

Senior Jeff Grassmeyer (Fremont, Neb.) led Drake by placing 31st in 25 minutes 30 seconds. One-hundred and sixty-seven runners competed in the meet. Drake sophomore Colin Hagan (Wichita, Kan.) was 94th in 27:08, while junior Mike Bumgarner (Rosemount, Minn.) was 102nd in 27:28.

Drake senior Zac Bales-Henry (Des Moines, Iowa) was 116th in 27:56. Drake sophomore Luke Schafer (Centennial, Colo.) was 118th in 28:06, while junior Colin Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.) was 119th in 28:25 and sophomore Derek Campbell (Sycamore, Ill.) 122nd in 29:02.

GRASSMEYER HONORED: Drake senior Jeff Grassmeyer (Fremont, Neb.) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference athlete of the week in men's cross country. Grassmeyer was the top MVC finisher at the Roy Griak Invitational in Falcon Heights, Minn., last Saturday,  finishing 31st out of 167 runners.