NEW ORLEANS, La. -- The Bradley women's cross country team will open the 2012 season ranked 11th in the Midwest Region according to an announcement by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) earlier this week. 

Picked to finish second in the Missouri Valley Conference preseason coaches poll, the Braves return a strong contingent from last year's squad which finished third in the MVC last year.  The third-place finish was the squad's best since 2009 and last year's 17th-place finish at the NCAA Regional was the team's best showing since that same year. 

"We are proud of the early season ranking but know that we have much work to do this season," said Bradley head coach Marc Burns.  "The preseason rankings are great and they show that our program is on the rise.  Now it is time to perform at a level that gives us the opportunity to exceed that ranking.  We won't know for sure where we are until we open up next weekend at the Bradley Open.  I do know that we are working at a higher level than last year and are a much deeper team than previous years.  This is an exciting time for us and we are looking forward to the challenge of the year ahead."

Bradley returned seven of eight individuals that helped the squad to the third-place finish at the 2011 MVC Championship, including three runners who placed in the top 15.  Leading the way for BU will be sophomore Sarah McMahon (Colfax, Wis./Colfax), who was a three-time all-conference performer as a freshman and went on to claim Bradley's Most Outstanding Female Athlete award in 2011-12.
 
Sophomore Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) was one of the team's top three finishers in five of six meets last fall and was 12th at the MVC Cross Country Championship.  Junior Cassie Lohmeier (East Peoria, Ill./East Peoria) will help provide leadership for a team which features a total of 26 underclassmen.  Lohmeier was a Valley Scholar-Athlete in 2011 after finishing 14th at last fall's conference championship.

The Braves open the 2012 season Friday, Sept. 7, hosting the 26th Bradley Open at Detweiller Park.  The women's three-mile race will kick things off at 5:30 p.m. with the men's 8K following at 6:15 p.m.