ARCATA, Calif.---- Both of the Cal Poly Humboldt men's and women's cross country teams, under the tutelage of head coach Jamey Harris, will begin their 2022 seasons in Humboldt County when they host the Jim Hunt Humboldt Invitational on September 17 at Beau Pre Golf Club in McKinleyville, Calif., with the invitational scheduled to start at 8:30am.
 
"I'm excited to start our season at Beau Pre," said head coach Jamey Harris.  " It's a historic venue, having hosted the 1990 and 1996 National Championships. This schedule gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against increasingly intense competition throughout the regular season, culminating in the Pre-Nationals Invitational where we expect to see several nationally ranked teams. This will be excellent preparation for our conference and regional championships, which will also include a few nationally ranked teams."
 
The Jim Hunt Invitational is the first of four invitationals for the Jacks in preparing them for the post-season. 
 
After the Jim Hunt Humboldt Invitational, the Jacks will be off until October 1 when they travel to Salem, Ore., to participate in the Charles Bowles Willamette Invitational at Bush's Pasture Park.  Humboldt will take the next two weeks off before returning to the course in Sunnyvale, Calif., for the Bronco Invitational at Baylands Park on October 15. 
 
On October 22, Humboldt will travel to Seattle, Wash., to participate in the Pre-Nationals Invitational at Chambers Creek Regional Park.  This will be the site of the 2022 NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in December.
 
The Jacks will have the next two weeks off to prepare for the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Championships.  This year's championships will take place on November 5 at the Palo Corona Golf Course in Carmel, Calif., with the first race scheduled for 9am. 
 
Humboldt will have two more weeks off until the Jacks travel to Billings, Mont., to participate in the NCAA Division II West Regional Championships at Amend Park on November 19.  The Jacks will be looking to qualify at the nationals. 
 
The 2022 NCAA Division II National Championships will be at Chambers Creek Regional Park in Seattle, Wash.  This year's nationals are part of the NCAA Division II Fall Festival that will be hosted by Seattle Pacific University.
 
The Jacks return All-CCAA performers Rosa Granados and Saedy Williamson on the women's side.  Williamson and Granados earned All-CCAA honors last years by placing eighth and tenth at the conference championships.  Granados led the Jacks with her 30^th place finish at the regionals last November in Monmouth, Ore.
 
Humboldt's men top returners are Carson Smith and Ricardo Torres.  At the conference championships, Torres finished 40^th and Smith 54^th in leading the Jacks. Two weeks later at regionals, Smith finished in 76^th place behind the Jacks' top finisher Elliott Portillo (48^th place).