WHAT'S AHEAD: The Drake women'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 start at 2:30 p.m.

LAST YEAR: Then Drake junior Casey McDermott (Newton, Iowa) captured individual honors at the 2009 Bulldog Classic, covering the 4,000-meter race in 14:15. Senior teammate Nicole Braunsdorf  was second in 14:21. Then Drake junior Meredith Bell (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) was fourth in 15:53, while then junior Katie Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.) was sixth in 15:56. Then Drake junior Tara Scieszinski (Albia, Iowa) placed eighth in 16:06, while then sophomore Kirsten Lake (Parker, Colo.) was ninth in 16:07.

SIZING UP THE WOMEN'S TEAM: Drake senior Casey McDermott will key the women's fortunes after leading the team at both the 2009 Missouri Valley Conference Championship and 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional. She earned all-MVC honors with a ninth-place showing, while posting the top finish among Drake runners at the NCAA Regional, finishing 32nd out of 173 runners.

The Bulldogs return six of their top seven runners including seniors Katie Coomer and Meredith Bell who finished 40th and 45th, respectively, at the MVC meet.

PRESEASON POLL: Five-time defending champion Wichita State was favored in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason meet poll in a vote of league coaches, receiving seven first-place votes en route to collecting 97 points. Illinois State was picked second with 88 points followed by Missouri State (71), Bradley (67), Southern Illinois (62), Northern Iowa (38), Drake (32), Creighton (21) and Evansville (10).