After hosting its annual Wildcat Open to open the season in late August, this NMU team will make trips to three other states over the next six weeks for meets.

The Wildcat Open, actually considered a scrimmage that usually includes collegiate runners from other Upper Peninsula colleges and universities and some high school divisions as well, will be run on Friday, Aug. 22, at a time and site still to be announced.

Then following the Labor Day holiday, Northern treks south to Green Bay, Wisconsin, for the Phoenix Open hosted by Wisconsin-Green Bay on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Two weeks later on Friday, Sept. 19, the Wildcats go to one of the Midwest’s biggest meets, the Roy Griak Invitational in Minneapolis and hosted by the University of Minnesota.

Northern Michigan University and Ishpeming High School graduate Lola Korpi runs during the women’s college race at the Wildcat Invitational cross country meet held at and around Northern Michigan University in Marquette on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

NMU returns to Wisconsin another week after that for the Lucian Rosa Invitational hosted by Wisconsin-Parkside in Kenosha on Saturday, Sept. 27.

The Wildcats make their longest trip of the fall for their next meet on Friday, Oct. 10, for the Royals Challenge in Charlotte, North Carolina, and hosted by Queens University of Charlotte.

The next trip isn’t nearly as far for the Husky Invitational at Michigan Tech in Houghton on Friday, Oct. 17, the final meet of the regular season.

The GLIAC Championships will be hosted by Davenport and held in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Oct. 25, with the NCAA Division II Midwest Championship set for Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Saturday, Nov. 8.

If the Wildcats qualify anyone for the nationals, the NCAA D-II Championship is scheduled back in Kenosha two weeks later on Saturday, Nov. 22.

NMU is led by Jenny Ryan, who has been the team’s head coach since 2007 and added track and field coaching duties in 2014. She has also been a Wildcats’ nordic skiing assistant coach in the past.

Last fall’s Northern cross country squad finished seventh at the GLIAC Championships, with Gianna Hoving earning All-GLIAC First Team honors after finishing 10th. For the 15th consecutive year under Ryan, Northern also recorded a top-15 finish at the NCAA regionals, with Hoving getting All-Region honors after an 18th-place finish.

This fall’s schedule is also available online at the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and looking under women’s cross country.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the schedule. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.