Hope College's season-opening cross country invitational is still on its feet after six decades. The college will celebrate its 50th event on Saturday, September 5, during the Vanderbilt Invitational at Ridge Point Church, 340 104th Avenue.

Start time is 10:30 a.m. for the invitational that features a 6K women's race and an 8K men's race. Click here for directions to the course.

Hope coach Mark Northuis is proud that the Vanderbilt Invitational is still running strong.

"There are not too many things that are 50 years old when it comes to cross country meets," Northuis said. "It's been a good local meet. It stays for local colleges, so it's a nice thing for the community to come out and watch. We've gone to different courses, but the Vanderbilt Invitational has stayed a good product."

The meet was founded as the Hope Invitational in 1966.

Hope College renamed it the Vanderbilt Invitational in 2002 in honor of former coach Bill Vanderbilt '61.

Vanderbilt was a coach and member of the Hope kinesiology faculty from 1967-1988, serving as department chair for 13 of those 21 years. His cross country teams won or shared 14 men's and three women's Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association championships.

Vanderbilt also served locally as executive director of the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland area and as chief executive office of Freedom Village retirement communities, which he founded.

Hope Athletics will recognize the 50th Vanderbilt Invitational on Saturday, September 5 during the Community Day football game at Smith Stadium.

"It only makes senses to do it on Community Day because of Bill's service to the community," Northuis said. "For us, this is just giving back and honoring somebody for the body of work that he's done in this community and this college. It means so much to us."

The Flying Dutch have won the women's event 21 times since they began competing in it in 1980. The Flying Dutchmen have been invitational champions 16 times since 1966.

Vanderbilt Invitational men's results

Vanderbilt Invitational women's results