WICHITA – Wichita State and Clapp Cross Country Course are set to host the 2024 American Athletic Conference Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Nov. 2.
 
"Hosting a conference championship is always something that we love and value and feel is important to our program, our athletic department, the university and the community," Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Steve Rainbolt said. "It's a really wonderful way for our entire operation to showcase Wichita State University and the American Athletic Conference to the community."
 
Clapp Cross Country Course hosted its first cross country meet in September when the Shockers held the 75^th Annual J.K. Gold Classic after a year of planning and developing by head cross country coach Kirk Hunter.
 
"Hosting the AAC Cross Country Championships is particularly exciting on our new cross country course," Rainbolt said. "Coach Hunter has worked extremely hard visualizing, planning, mapping out and building that cross country course, so this is truly a labor of love that has been supported by the city, the university and the athletic department, so I'm really happy for Coach Hunter, and I know that he's really proud of this new cross country course. This is going to be a wonderful event in Wichita, Kansas, and I'm super excited about it."
 
The AAC championship meet will come to Wichita for the second time after the Shockers hosted the 2020 AAC Championships in February of 2021 at 4 Mile Creek Resort.
 
"We love hosting, bringing the conference schools to Wichita, and giving them our hospitality, so having the opportunity to host the cross country championships is going to be really exciting," Hunter said. "I know that the men and women on the team are extremely excited about having conference here and being able to run on their home cross country course."
 
The men's and women's races will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2.