The 2011 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) cross country season begins this week with 11 of the 13 men's and women's cross country programs in action.

The defending MEAC champion Norfolk State Spartans and Hampton Lady Pirates will travel to Princess Anne, Maryland on Saturday, to compete at the Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) Lid Lifter Invite. Coppin State and Delaware State are also slated to compete at the Lid Lifter Invite.

North Carolina Central, who will enter their first season of MEAC competition pending membership approval on September 1, begins its season on Wednesday at the Duke Dual meet in Durham, North Carolina.

Other MEAC teams in action during the conference's opening weekend include: Florida A&M men's team (Georgia Invite) Florida A&M women's team (Troy Invite), and South Carolina State men's and women's teams (South Carolina Gamecock Invite).Savannah State also enters their first season of MEAC competition pending membership approval on September 1 and will join Bethune-Cookman at the Jacksonville Invite on Saturday.

The 2011 MEAC Men's and Women's Cross Country Championships will be held Saturday, October 29 at UMES. UMES will host the NCAA Men's and Women's Cross Country Regional for the second time on November 12. The Hawks previously hosted the regional in 2009.