WHAT'S AHEAD: The Drake women's cross country team will compete in the NCAA Midwest Regional Women's Championship this Friday at the Newman Golf Course in Peoria, Ill. The 6,000-meter run is scheduled for an 11 a.m. start with 33 teams expected to compete.

LAST YEAR: Minnesota won the women's division of the 2009 NCAA Midwest Regional in Springfield, Mo., with 60 points.

Then Drake junior Casey McDermott was 32nd out of 173 runners in the women's division, covering the 6,000-meter race in 21 minutes 44.6 seconds.

Other women's results included Drake junior Meredith Bell placing 106th in 23:25.6, while junior Tara Scieszinski was 110th in 23:36.5. Senior Courtney Heinz was 117th in 23:47, while junior Katie Coomer placed 139th in 24:19.9. Junior Lindsay Smith was 149th in 24:39.6 and freshman London James was 166th in 25:38.0.

A LOOK BACK: Drake senior Casey McDermott (Newton, Iowa) earned All-MVC honors for the second straight year by placing 10th in the State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Women's Cross Country Championship Oct. 30 in Augusta, Kan.

McDermott covered the 5,000-meter race in 17 minutes 52.11 seconds. Drake finished seventh in the meet, tallying 149 points. Host Wichita State captured the team title with 54 points.

Drake senior Tara Scieszinski (Albia, Iowa) was 32nd in 18:52.85, just clipping senior teammate Meredith Bell (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) who was 33rd in 18:53.88. Drake senior Katie Coomer (Overland Park, Kan.) was 37th in 18:59.47 while freshman Erin Poss (Antoich, Ill.) was 39th in 19:02.46.