WESTERVILLE, Ohio – For the second year in a row, the Otterbein men's cross country team will head to the big stage and compete in the NCAA Division III Championships.

The Cardinals, automatically qualifying for nationals after a runner-up finish in the Great Lakes Regional, will now return to Tom Sawyer State Park for the second time this season in Louisville, Ky. Otterbein took third place at the Greater Louisville Classic (Pre-National Meet) back in early October on the same 8K course.

In addition to the men's squad, senior Allison Currey will be representing the Otterbein women's program after earning an individual selection. She gets a Cardinal uniform into the race for a third-straight year after the team recently made back-to-back appearances.

The men's program will be making its 11th appearance in school history, but just second since the 1995 calendar. Otterbein, ranked No. 14 in the latest USTFCCCA national poll, defended titles this season at both the All-Ohio and Ohio Athletic Conference Championships.

Senior Chase Hampton, the newest Great Lakes Regional Athlete of the Year, leads the lineup with four victories this season that include the Otterbein Invitational, All-Ohio, OAC's and last week's regional after a late kick. Teammates Max Hoffman, Jamey Ehret, Alex Clevinger and and Spencer Strohm joined him on the All-Region squad.

Ryan Estes and Jacob Thompson also suited up for last week's regional, as the Cardinals will put a group of seven on the starting line come Saturday morning at 10:45 a.m. The best NCAA finish for an Otterbein men's program is eighth, coming back in 1994. That team is now in the Hall of Fame.

Currey received a bid to compete following a strong couple of weeks where she took seventh place at the OAC Championships and then crossed in 15th place at the regional for podium status. This will be her third career appearance on the NCAA stage, and she ran 21:54 for a top-40 finish at Sawyer State Park earlier this fall.

Currey's race will go off after Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

Fans can follow the meet through LIVE RESULTS and LIVE VIDEO, while also accessing information through the CHAMPIONSHIPS SITE.