MEMPHIS, Tenn. - The Colorado College men and the DePauw University women will attempt to defend their respective conference cross country titles this Saturday at Plough Park in Memphis, Tenn., the host course for the 2008 SCAC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships.

Colorado College won its first-ever SCAC championship at the 2007 SCAC Cross Country Championships conducted at Southwestern University. The Tigers were paced by Alex Nichols, who earned Runner-of-the-Year honors with a time of 25:36.05 - the 13th fastest time in SCAC championships history. The victory by the CC Tigers snapped DePauw University's seven-year stranglehold on the men's title. 

DePauw University won its fifth straight SCAC women's cross title at the 2007 SCAC Championship meet. Lauren Reich, the 2006 top finisher, led DePauw with a second-place finish.

Emily Loeffler of Trinity University earned Runner-of-the-Year honors with a finishing time of 22:33.70 - the fifth fastest at the conference championship meet since the SCAC went to a 6K for the women in 2005.

Entering the 2008 championship meet, the SCAC has two teams ranked nationally. The Centre College men are 34th and the DePauw women are 15th in the most recent USTFCCA rankings (Oct. 28).

The league has several teams regionally ranked. On the men's side, Centre is second, Rhodes College is sixth and Trinity University is eighth in the South/Southeast Region. DePauw is eighth in the Great Lakes Region and Colorado College is eighth in the West Region.

On the women's side, Trinity is third, Rhodes is fourth and Hendrix College is eighth in the South/Southeast Region, while DePauw is third in the Great Lakes Region.