CHICAGO -- Loyola Chicago cross country is set to host the 47th annual Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational this Friday, Sept. 25, at Sydney R. Marovitz Golf Course on Chicago's picturesque lake shore.

The Tom Cooney Championship races begin with the women's 6K at 9 a.m., followed by the men's 8K at 9:40 a.m. The open division races will feature the women's 6K at 10:20 a.m. followed by the men's 8K at 11 a.m. Live results will be available during and after the meet.

Spectator admission is $10 per person. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance online. Onsite ticket sales will be credit card only—no cash will be accepted. Students from participating schools get in free with a valid student ID.

The championship racing teams are Arizona, Cal Poly, Furman, Gonzaga, Lipscomb, Miami (OH), Michigan, Middle Tennessee State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio, Oregon State, Purdue, Tulane, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. 

Three teams on the women's side came in nationally ranked in the latest batch of U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Rankings: No. 12 Northwestern, No. 20 Virginia and No. 24 Minnesota. For the men, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 13 Washington and No. 24 Tulane are ranked nationally while Michigan and Middle Tennessee State are both receiving votes. 

The Rambler men enter the meet ranked seventh in the Midwest Region of the USTFCCCA DI Men's Cross Country Regional Rankings, while the women are 12th.

Last time out, Loyola's men's and women's cross country finished first at the Lewis Early Bird (Sept. 5). All five Rambler women crossed the 4,000 meter finish line in succession: Tessa Russo (15:37.0), Kenzie Willard (15:38.1), Frances Perry (15:44.1), Natalya Kuchenbuch (15:46.1) and Nicole Golebiowski (15:46.8). Keegan Baluja (19:52.9) paced the Ramblers on the men's side in the 6,000 meter race, coming in second overall, while River Santiago (19:53.1) rounded out the top three finishers. Dylan Ybarra (19:53.4) claimed fourth, while James Howell (20:18.1), Aidan Collins (20:18.3) and Trent Anderson (20:54.7) finished seventh, eighth and 17th, respectively. 

Next up, the Ramblers compete at the Bradley Pink Classic/Pre Nationals in Peoria, Ill. on Friday, Oct. 16. 

The Loyola Lakefront Invitational began in the 1970s before being renamed the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in honor of former Rambler student-athlete Sean Earl. Earl ran in the late 1990s before being diagnosed with testicular cancer and passing in 2000. Former Loyola track & field head coach Marc Burns renamed the Lakefront Invitational to the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational in the fall of 2000. A race already rich with a 28-year history had a new purpose — one to honor a former Rambler. The event was originally founded by Loyola alum and former coach Tom Cooney, who continues to serve as Meet Technical Manager today.