The WSU cross country team will split up this weekend to compete in two meets.

The men’s cross country team will compete in the 57th annual Notre Dame Invitational, while the women’s team will head to Sacramento, Calif., to compete in the NCAA Inter-Regional Jamboree.

For the men’s team, last season’s former cross country runner Andrew Kimpel was the top Cougar runner to finish the race, which was in 29th place, according to a press release from wsucougars.com.

“It’s been good to us,” WSU cross country coach Tim Riley said in a press conference. “We’ve had success in the past, and we’re looking to get that back this year.”

The main objective for the Notre Dame Invitational, Riley said, is to beat teams in weaker regions that receive automatic berths to the NCAA Championship, which will help build the Cougars’ resume.

The Cougars will have one of their top runners competing in this meet, Todd Wakefield, who reached the NCAA Championship last season. Riley said Wakefield is a little stronger than he was at the Sundodger Invitational, which was in the middle of September.

Another runner, who’s running well, Riley said, is senior Andrew Gonzales.

This is a five mile race, which is a little longer than what the Cougar men are used to running since the meets they’ve competed in the past have been 8K’s.

“We’re excited to get back there and look at a lot of teams that we don’t see until we get to nationals,” Riley said.

For the WSU women, they’ll be competing in a meet that serves as a West Regional preview and a point accumulator for teams looking to earn their way to the national meet, according to wsucougars.com.

“There will be a lot of good teams down there as well,” Riley said. “It’s a good meet.”

The women’s team will have one of their top runners competing in this race, Ruby Roberts, who has been injured this season but will lace her shoes up in Sacramento. Abby Regan is another Cougar women runner competing in this meet.

“On the women’s side, we’re getting stronger by the day, which is a good thing,” Riley said. “Should be a good weekend.”