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The Norwich University men’s and women’s cross country teams are set to host the third annual Cadet Invitational on Friday, Oct. 3, as part of the University’s Parents & Family Weekend.The men’s 8K race will kick off the day’s events at 3:00 p.m., followed by the women’s 6K race at 4:30 p.m. Both races will take place on the Norwich Cross Country Course in Northfield.First held in 2023, the Cadet Invitational marked the return of home cross country competition to Northfield for the first time since 1999. This year’s meet also serves as a preview for the 2025 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Championships, which Norwich will host for the second consecutive season on Nov. 2.The Cadets return to their home course for the first time since last November’s GNAC Championship, where the men captured their 12th conference title in program history and the women earned a strong fourth-place finish out of 11 teams. Norwich also swept the Rookie of the Year honors, with Matheu Dettenrieder and Delaney Whitmarsh taking home the GNAC’s top first-year accolades.The very start of the Cadet Invitational will have a uniquely Norwich feel. The races will feature the singing of the national anthem by Cadet Sydney Brown, who once again performs the opening tradition after last year’s stirring rendition. Both races will be started in perfect Norwich fashion with the Norwich Artillery Battery firing the M116 75mm pack Howitzer. Head Coach Michael McGrane, the reigning GNAC Men’s Coach of the Year, will have the honor of actually firing the Howitzer.Men's PreviewSenior standout Seth Varin has led the Cadets throughout the 2025 season, opening the fall with top-10 finishes at the Charger Invitational and the Silloway Maple Syrup Challenge. His efforts helped Norwich to a third-place team finish at the latter event and earned him GNAC Runner of the Week honors.Freshman Shea Parish has also impressed, placing fifth in his collegiate debut at the Charger Invitational. He followed that with a solid 26th-place finish at the Maple Syrup Challenge, earning him GNAC Rookie of the Week plaudits.The men’s team most recently placed sixth out of eleven teams at the Ronald C. Hoffmann Invitational, hosted by St. Lawrence University on Sept. 20.Women's PreviewDelaney Whitmarsh has continued to shine after her breakout 2024 campaign. She has paced the Cadets in all three meets this season, including top-10 finishes at both the Charger Invitational and the Maple Syrup Challenge. Her performance at the latter helped Norwich finish second overall and earned her GNAC Runner of the Week honors.Joining her at the front of the pack has been freshman Kaitlyn Moore, who registered ninth and twelfth place finishes in her first two meets. Her sub-22-minute effort at the Maple Syrup Challenge earned her GNAC Rookie of the Week alongside Whitmarsh’s award.Like the men, the Norwich women placed sixth overall at the Hoffmann Invitational in their most recent outing.Course DetailsRaces will start on the Graveyard Pitch, located in the outfield of the Norwich softball field. The finish line is on the opposite end of the pitch. Runners will cross a bridge over the Dog River, loop around the Dog River Rugby Pitch, and follow a route that includes Water Street and Dole Hill Road. The course features a mix of grass fields, wooded trails, dirt roads, and two scenic farm loops.