KELLY MURPHY | STAFF REPORTER

The Butler cross-country team is looking forward to showcasing their talents at the Big East Championship meet in Carmel, Indiana on Oct. 31.

 The team will compete against the other nine teams in the Big East conference.

 The women’s team will have some tough competition from Georgetown University who recently won the NCAA pre-national meet.

 At the NCAA pre-national meet, the Butler men finished 36th and the women finished 29th.

 Erik Peterson was the top male finisher for the bulldogs, finishing 10th. Mara Olson was the top female finisher coming in at 50th.

 Peterson has been the top male runner for the team all season.

“I hope to improve on my last year’s performance of seventh,” Peterson said. “I’d like to probably be top five at least.”

Head coach Matt Roe said the team will have to come ready to compete.

“You’ve got to be ready to compete well because the Big East is one of the top conferences in the country,” Roe said.

 Butler, Providence College, Villanova University and Georgetown University are the top cross country teams in the Big East Conference.

Peterson said he thinks Butler has the ability to make some noise.

“I think it’s realistic we can maybe try to knockout Georgetown or Providence,” he said.

Last year at the meet, the men finished behind Villanova and Providence and the women finished behind Providence and Georgetown.

 Coach Roe said success can still be achieved without coming out on top.

“I think fourth or anything better is really good, but I do believe we can finish higher than that for sure,” he said.

 Coach Roe said Butler is fortunate enough to have the home course advantage.

“I think being well prepared and knowing the course and having everybody healthy on the day will be important for us,” he said.