The ISU men’s cross-country team and new coaching staff will kickoff its season in its first meet Friday night.

Iowa State, Drake and Northern Iowa will compete in the Bulldog 4K Classic, hosted by Drake University in Des Moines.

ISU men’s cross-country assistant coach Jeremy Sudbury explained that this meet is a time for the coaches to evaluate the team’s developmental runners.

“It’s a great opportunity for the younger guys,” Sudbury said. “It’s a great chance for them to run against other guys at their skill level.”

Sudbury explained that this meet is also an opportunity to see where some of the track middle-distance runners are after the summer.

There are 12 “true” cross-country runners — runners that are solely long-distance. Seven runners will compete Friday, a variation of cross-country long-distance runners, and track middle-distance runners.

The cross-country coaches also use this meet as a tool to evaluate which developmental runners have the most potential to help the team at competitions this season.

For the first time, brothers Jordan and Nick Schulze will have a chance to compete against each other while representing Iowa State.

Jordan, a freshman, will be racing as a Cyclone for the first time with Nick, a senior. The Schulzes, from Indianola, Iowa, will have an opportunity Friday night for some sibling rivalry.

Redshirt junior Alex Dillenbeck ran in the meet in his first three seasons as an ISU men’s cross-country runner. This is the first year he will not be running at the Bulldog 4k Classic.

“This meet is getting the feel for things,” Dillenbeck said. “Get a feel for and get the adrenaline flowing, and put you in that type of setting. It’s a chance for them to get a taste of college atmosphere without traveling too far away from home.

“When I was a freshman it’s the first time I put on the jersey and started to feel that sense of pride in my

school.”

The race was originally scheduled to begin at 5 p.m, but because of the excessive heat, the race was rescheduled earlier this week.

The 2.5-mile race will be at 6:45 p.m. Friday at Ewing Park in Des Moines.