LAS CRUCES, N.M. - New Mexico State cross country head coach Orin Richburg announced the Aggies will participate in four in-state meets that highlight the 2010 schedule released Thursday, May 20.

The Aggies begin their tour of the Land of Enchantment Sept. 4 at the University of New Mexico's Lobo Invitational in Albuquerque for the fourth consecutive season. The following week, NM State travels to Santa Teresa to take part in the 25th-annual Lori Fitzgerald Invitational hosted by I-10 rival UTEP.

NM State returns home on Sept. 18 to host the 24th-annual Kachina Classic at the NM State Golf Course. The Aggies will look to improve on the third-place finishes both teams turned in at the 2009 Classic.

"Local meets like the Kachina Classic are great for our teams," said assistant cross country coach Paul Harkins. "Running locally, a lot of our fans are able to come out to the course to support us. Even in Albuquerque we tend to draw large crowds that makes it feel like a home meet."

On the opening weekend of October the Crimson and White leave the state for the first time, traveling to Springfield, Mo., to run in Missouri State Cross Country Classic Oct. 2. A week later, the Aggies and Lobos renew their rivalry with the Duel in the Desert held in Truth or Consequences to round out the four in-state meets of the season.

For the fourth consecutive season, the Aggie harriers will compete at the Bronco Invitational hosted by Santa Clara University Oct. 16 in Sunnyvale, Calif.  The Aggie women could defend their title at the invite but could also travel to the Pre-National Meet that same weekend held at Indiana State University, the host of the 2010 NCAA Championships.

"As a staff we tried to put together a competitive schedule for our squads," Harkins said. "We added the meet at Missouri State this year to run against teams from other regions and added the Pre-National race if we are running well leading up to that point of the season."

NM State begins the postseason at the 2010 WAC Championships hosted by the University of Idaho on Oct. 30. The Aggie women will defend their 2009 WAC Title after freshman twin sisters Courtney and Camille Schultz paced the conference field across the line finishing first and second, respectfully. The men's team will look to improve upon its fourth-place finish last year. Harkins and fellow NM State assistant coach Meaghan Gregory were named WAC Coaches of the Year for their efforts with the team last fall.

Two weeks later, the teams trek to Salt Lake City, Utah on Nov. 13 to compete in the NCAA Mountain Regional. The NCAA Championship meet will again be hosted this season by Indiana State on Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Ind.

For all of the latest Aggie cross country news, click NMStateSports.com.