The Lincoln University women's and men's cross country programs announced their 2017 schedule Friday, beginning with the Wilmington University Invitational in Wilmington, Delaware on September 2, 2017.

The Lions, under the guidance of second year Head Coach Quanette Ford, will participate in five regular season meets in 2017, returning to each of the venues they competed in during the 2016 regular season while traveling to Cheyney University for their annual Battle of the Firsts dual meet.

After the Wilmington Invitational, Lincoln will travel into Philadelphia to compete on the historic Belmont Plateau course at the Philadelphia Metro Championship on September 9, 2017.  Lincoln's women's and men's teams finished seventh and tenth respectively at last year's event. 

White Clay Creek State Park in Newark, Delaware will be the Lions destination the following week as they compete in the Delaware Invitational, hosted by the University of Delaware.  In 2016 the Lions competed on the same course at UD's Blue and Gold Invitational later in the season.

Lincoln will have two off weeks following the Delaware Invitational before making their longest trip of the regular season to compete in the Robert Shumake HBCU Classic races at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Cary, North Carolina on October 7.  Lincoln's men and women finished 11^th and 12^th respectively amongst the 17 schools competing at last year's event.

The "Battle of the Firsts" meet follows five days later at Cheyney University.  Lincoln's women won last event while Cheyney's men's team defeated the Lions in the men's race.

The five regular season races all lead up to the Lions premier race, the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Championships on October 26. This year's championship will be held at Green Hill Park in Salem, Virginia.  The Lincoln women hope to improve upon last year's sixth place effort while the men's team strives to better last year's tenth place effort.

A strong performance at the conference championships could send the Lions to the NCAA Atlantic Region Championship held at Lock Haven University on November 4.  The 2017 season culminates with the Division II National Championship meets on November 18, 2017 in Evansville, Indiana.

Coach Ford's squad will have some added depth as 11 men and 11 women are slated to compete as they begin the pre-season workouts starting in mid-August.