Oregon State cross country coach Kelly Sullivan announced Monday the Beavers would miss the Oct. 16 NCAA Pre-Nationals meet and run instead at the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Ill., that day.
The 6,000-meter Bradley race will be held on the Newman Golf Course, starting at 3:05 p.m. Illinois is the defending women’s team champion; Maria McDaniel of Western Michigan was the individual champion in 2014 in 20:41.
“It’s closer to home, which makes for far less travel, and we will still face a quality field,” Sullivan said.
Big Ten schools Illinois, Missouri and Iowa are expected to compete, as are regionally-ranked Northern Illinois, Eastern Illinois and IUPUI, among others.