The Butler women will make the short drive west along I-70 Friday, getting an early look at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind., that will host the 2026 NCAA Cross Country Championships in November.
 
The NCAA Pre-National Invitational will bring teams from across the nation to the Hoosier State. The Butler women are part of the field but the Butler men will focus on training for the upcoming BIG EAST Championships after previously competing in Terre Haute Sept. 19 at the John McNichols Invitational.
 
Junior Hannah Moore has led the Bulldogs in both races so far this season, most recently placing 48^th overall in the Blue Race at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational Oct. 2. She clocked a time of 17:09.9 as she navigated the 5k Burke Golf Course in South Bend, Ind. That performance earned her BIG EAST Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week honors.
 
Moore will be joined in the Butler line-up by Carys Glyn-Jones, Poppy Healy, Hana Boggess, Ella Olthof, Lila Volkers, Caterina Perego, Emily Berger, Callie Bentley, Mckenna Mazeski, and Susanne Estepp.
 
The Bulldogs will compete in the 6k "White" Race that begins at 11:20 a.m. The field for that race is expected to include BIG EAST foe DePaul as well as several in-state teams in Ball State, Evansville, IU Indy, Purdue, Purdue Fort Wayne, Southern Indiana, and Valparaiso (among other teams).
 
Several Butler men's runners will compete as individuals as part of the men's 8k "White" Race later in the day.
 
Friday's meet also serves as the last competition for the Bulldogs prior to the BIG EAST Championships Oct. 30 in Virginia.
 
RunnerSpace will broadcast this year's meet and live results will be available with a link provided on ButlerSports.com.