DAHLONEGA | The University of North Georgia women’s cross country program is making final preparations to host the 4th Annual UNG Invitational this Saturday (Sept. 17) on the UNG Gainesville campus. The race will feature 26 teams (15 women, 11 men) with over 230 runners set to race on UNG Cross Country Course.

North Georgia is currently ranked third in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) NCAA Division II Southeast Region. The Nighthawks are on the heels of a dominating performance last weekend where they ran away with the Georgia College Bobcat Invitational, placing seven runners in the top-15.

On the women’s side, SCAD Atlanta returns as the defending champion after breaking the Nighthawks’ streak of back-to-back team titles in 2013 and 2014. The Bees edged UNG by a single point in last season’s 6K race.

The men’s 8K race will feature 11 teams.

The women’s 5K race will begin at 8:15 a.m., with the men’s race following at 9 a.m. The course is located on the west side of the UNG Gainesville campus, behind the Hugh Mills Physical Education Center.

Pre-race ceremonies will begin at 8:00 a.m. and will feature a presentation honoring UNG’s Operation Nighthawks of Honor where each of the department’s 13 intercollegiate teams pay a season-long tribute to a UNG service member that heroically served their country.

The event is also a Loyal Blue Fan Rewards event where the Nighthawk Nation can earn points towards great prizes. The UNG Cross Country Invitational will count for a season-high 15 points.

Admission is free and ample parking is available in the parking deck located next to the Martha Nesbitt Center.

The awards ceremony recognizing the top two finishing teams and top 10 individuals will take place immediately following the men’s race at the G.W. Bailey Amphitheater.

The UNG Cross Country Course annually hosts several community, high school and collegiate races and served as the host venue for the 2015 Peach Belt Conference Championship, which was the first PBC conference championship hosted by North Georgia.

Fans can follow all the action from the races with updates including full results, photos and post-race interviews posted to the UNG Cross Country Invitational website.