By Layne Weitzel, TTU Sports Information

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Boasting a tie for its highest USTFCCCA ranking in program history, the Tennessee Tech men's cross country team heads north this weekend for the inaugural Sam Bell Invitational, hosted by Indiana University.

The men's 8k is set to go off at 10 a.m. CT on Saturday at the IU Championship Cross Country Course.

"We are excited to be competing in the Sam Bell Invitational in Bloomington, Indiana, this weekend," said head coach Wayne Angel. "It will be the toughest competition by far that we have faced to date. With nationally and regionally ranked teams from across the country as well as teams from Canada, it looks to be a real barn-burner.

"We have lightened our training load this week in hopes of creating a breakthrough. It's necessary for us to elevate our competition and race in tougher meets, but we still have to keep things into perspective."

Tech is coming off a runner-up finish at Florida's Mountain Dew Invitational last Saturday, where Gilbert Boit collected his second individual win in as many meets this season and Brannon Cheplak and Sammy Kipkirui also finished in the top 10. Boit was named the OVC Male Runner of the Week.

The USTFCCCA ranked Tech No. 10 in the South Region for this week, tying its highest-ever ranking in program history.

"For us, every competition is an opportunity to evaluate our training to ensure that we are on track," said Angel. "We have to learn to race as a disciplined unit and depend on each other. Our goals this weekend will be to focus on our mental toughness and to tighten the gap between our second and fifth runners."