The University of Delaware cross country team has announced its 2017 schedule, which is again highlighted by two home meets at nearby White Clay Creek State Park.

The Blue Hens, who will compete in nine invitationals during the fall, will open their schedule with a trip to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the Lehigh Invitational on Sept. 1, an event the team won last season. UD will continue on the road as the Blue Hens head to North Carolina for the Elon Opener the next day to compete in the event for the first time.

UD will return home to host the Delaware Invitational at White Clay Creek on Sept. 16, before traveling to Lehigh once again for the Paul Short Invitational on Sept. 29.

The Blue Hens will then host the Blue and Gold Invitational at White Clay Creek on Oct. 7 before heading to Louisville, Kentucky, for the Pre-National Invitational on Oct. 14.

UD then will travel back to Elon for the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) championships on Oct. 28.

The Blue Hens will return to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, for the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regionals on Nov. 10, followed by the ECAC championships at Van Cortlandt State Park in Bronx, New York, on Nov. 18

UD, led by head coach Wendy McFarlane-Smith, returns 13 letter winners from last year's squad that captured the Lehigh Invitational title, posted two second place finishes, and placed sixth in both the CAA and ECAC championships.

Sophomore Mackenzie Jones returns for the Blue Hens after earning the team's MVP and Outstanding Rookie awards last season, when she was the squad's top finisher in six meets, including coming in third in the Lehigh Invitational and placing fourth in the Delaware Invitational.

Also returning for UD is senior Liz McGroarty, who was the team's top finisher in the ECAC championships, and junior Molly Doyle, the squad's most improved runner in 2016.