CLINTON, Miss. --- The Mississippi College cross country program announced its 2022 schedule on Friday, July 1, 2022.
The men's and women's programs will compete in five regular-season meets, including three home meets, before beginning postseason competition at the 2022 Gulf South Conference Championships, which will be held at the University of Montevallo.
The Choctaws will open up their seasons on their home course, Choctaw Trails, on Friday, Sept. 2.
They will then travel to Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday, Sept. 16, to race the North Alabama showcase at John Hunt Park. Last season, both the men and women won the 2021 North Alabama Invitational over teams such as North Alabama, Memphis, and Murray State, as well as conference programs West Alabama and West Florida.
After North Alabama, the Choctaws will return home to compete at the Watson Cross Country Classic on Saturday, Sept. 24.
On Friday, Sept. 30, the Choctaws will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to compete in the 34th annual Chile Pepper Festival, hosted by the University of Arkansas. Once there, they will face off against some of the highest-ranked programs in NCAA Division II and the SEC.
Following Fayetteville, Mississippi College will travel to Montevallo, Ala. to compete at the UAB Blazer Classic, which is being held on Friday, Oct. 14. This will be another meet for the Choctaws to compete against some stellar competition in the GSC and SEC, as well as a good opportunity to preview the site of the Gulf South Conference Championships.
Finally, on Saturday, Oct. 22, their regular season will conclude at the Mississippi College Fall Festival, which will be held at Choctaw Trails.
The Choctaws will travel back to Montevallo, Alabama, to compete in the 2022 Gulf South Conference Championships on Saturday, Nov. 5. The women are coming off of a runner-up finish in 2021, while the men finished third at last year's championships.
Two weeks later, they will make the trip to Lakeland, Florida, to compete at the 2022 NCAA Division II South Regional Championships.
The Choctaws will be looking to qualify for the 2022 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Seattle on Friday, Dec. 2.
Both men's and women's programs are coming off of successful seasons where they sent both squads to the 2021 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships after both teams placed third at the regional qualifier, which granted them an automatic berth to the national meet. Once there, the men placed 23rd, and the women placed 24th. It was the first time any team was sent to an NCAA Division II national championship in Mississippi College history.
Both squads will be returning six from their top seven in 2021, including school record-holders Jazmin Hernandez and Hunter Kurz.
