The University of Alabama cross country team will host a pair of home meets as part of its 2012 schedule, announced Monday by head coach Dan Waters.

The Crimson Tide’s 2012 schedule features seven competitions highlighted by the Crimson Tide Cross Country Kick-Off on Sept. 1 and the annual Crimson Classic on Oct. 13.

“We’re excited about our 2012 schedule and the opportunity to race twice at home on the Harry Pritchett course,” Waters said. “The Crimson Classic will be everyone’s final tune up for the SEC Championships and should make a for a great race with everyone competing at a high level.”

The Tide gets the season underway at home on Sept. 1 with the Crimson Tide Cross Country Kick-Off that will feature a 6-kilometer men’s race and a 3-kilometer women’s race. Two weeks later, the team will compete at the Commodore Classic and get the opportunity to race on the same course that October’s SEC Championships will be staged on.

The Tide close out September with its first national competition of the season at the Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 28 before returning to Tuscaloosa to host the Crimson Classic on Oct. 13. The annual event gets underway at 8:30 p.m. CST with the 8-kilometer men’s race followed by the 5-kilometer women’s race. Four high school races will follow the completion of collegiate competition.

That home meet will be the Tide’s final tune up before the championship portion of its schedule begins on Oct. 27 with the SEC Championships, hosted by Vanderbilt. The conference championship is followed by the NCAA South Regional on Nov. 9 in Tallahassee, Fla., and the Nov. 17 NCAA Championships in Louisville, Ky.