La Crosse, Wis. – Nearly 200 runners from 13 different schools across Wisconsin will take to the Viterbo University Cross Country Course at Pettibone Park on Saturday, October 15th to take part in the 18^thannual Wisconsin private Colleges Championship. The meet will begin at 10:30 a.m. central time with the women's 6-K race, while the men's 8-K race will follow at 11:15 a.m. (Wisconsin Private College Championship Website)

Set to take part in the meet along with Viterbo are teams from Averno, Beloit, Cardinal Stritch, Marantha Baptist, Marian, M.S.O.E., Mt. Mary, Northland, Ripon, Silver Lake, Wisconsin Lutheran and the defending champions from St. Norbert.

 "Next Saturday's meet is very important to us," said head coach John Metelko. "It is really a tune up before the conference championships. The conditions are great for both teams to run well and I'm sure they will perform to expectations."

The V-Hawk's men's team coming off of a second place finish at the Beloit College's Olde English Classic last week, will look to improve on last year's fifth place finish. Sophomore Daniel Beltz (Madera. Calif.) became the third team member to finish first for Viterbo on the men's side this fall.

The Lady V-Hawks will be looking to avenge last year's runner-up finish after finishing first in this championship in 2009. Senior Bea Foley (Greenville, Wis.) will be running for her first place finish in this meet. Foley won the 2009 race held at Ripon College in 23:22.  Foley finished second overall in 2010 in 22:14 at Colburn Park in Green Bay.  As a team, the Lady V-Hawks  have been dominant as of late winning their previous two meets this season with scores of 19 and 16 points.

Admission is free for all fans that would like to come out and support on Saturday.