Sept. 2, 2010 CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Oregon State women's cross country team will honor former men's runner John Frank with the running of the first annual John Frank Memorial Invitational this Friday, Sept. 3 at Avery Park in Corvallis. The invitational will consist of a women's 4,500 meter race starting at 5:30 p.m. along with a men's 4 mile race starting at 6:15 p.m. In between the races there will be a special presentation to the John Frank family. Attending the invitational along with the Oregon State women are the men and women from Oregon, Portland, and Portland State along with Oregon State alumni and Oregon State and Oregon track clubs. "We are happy to be hosting our first real invitational to start the year with the John Frank Memorial Invitational," Oregon State women's cross country head coach Kelly Sullivan said. "This will be a great early season meet with our traditional rivals and nationally ranked in-state programs here in town for the first time." The invitational marks the first regular season meet to be hosted by Oregon State athletics since the reinstatement of the program in 2004 after being eliminated in 1987. "John Frank was one of our program's most outstanding distance runners and team leaders who tragically passed away," Sullivan said. "I have always felt that when the day came for us to begin hosting a home invitational that naming it after John would be fitting, and I am pleased we can do so." The John Frank Memorial Invitational is held in honor of John Frank who ran both cross country and track for the Beavers in the early 1980's but died in an unfortunate industrial accident. Before coming to Oregon State, Frank was named the "California Runner of the Year" in 1980. "We want to thank Coach Sullivan and the OSU Athletic Department and alumni for remembering and honoring out son John in such a special way," John and Kathy Frank said in a letter to Sullivan. "To know that he is still remembered by so many and to hear all the wonderful comments by so many helps to give us strength for the rest of the race." For more information on the Oregon State cross country and track teams and letters from Sullivan and former Oregon State national champion and Olympian Dick Fosbury, check out the monthly cross country and track newsletters here. For more information on John Frank, check out Doug Binder's story on TrackFocus.com here. Support Oregon State University Athletics by making your tax deductible donation to the Beaver Athletic Student Fund. For more information follow this link or call 541-737-2370. You can make an "Everyday Champion" Follow Beaver Athletics on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Original News Release: http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/w-xc/spec-rel/090210aaa.html