Alex Cain Assistant Athletic Director/Game Operations | Illinois State University Athletics Website
Alex Cain Assistant Athletic Director/Game Operations | Illinois State University Athletics Website
The Illinois State Cross Country team will travel to Columbia, Missouri, to compete at the Gans Creek Classic on Friday morning. The event starts at 8 a.m. with the men's 8,000-meter race, followed by the women's 6,000-meter race at 8:45 a.m.
Over 50 teams are expected to participate in the event, including several nationally ranked men's and women's squads according to the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Cross Country National Coaches' Polls.
In their last trip to Columbia in 2022, the Redbirds' men's team finished 11th with a point total of 317, while the women's squad finished ninth with 265 points.
Recently, both the men's and women's teams from Illinois State secured first-place finishes at the Redbird Invite. The women's team had a point total of 23, and the men's squad earned a total of 29 points.
Senior Mattison Plummer led the women's team in the 6,000-meter race with a time of 21:31.10, securing first place. Senior Lauren Schulze recorded a personal best time of 21:50.90 for third place. Freshman Astrid Van Breedam impressed in her collegiate debut with a fifth-place finish and a time of 21:59.30.
Senior Mathis Chavand recorded first-place finishes in both races for Illinois State with an 8,000-meter personal best time of 23:57.20. Senior Zack Loomis finished second with a time of 24:18.30. Junior Yusuf Baig achieved a personal best time of 24:44.00 to finish sixth.
The starting lineup for Illinois State's women includes Grace Erb (So.), Trixie Johnson (So.), Mattison Plummer (Sr.), Maggie Reed (Jr.), Viviana Sanfilippo (Sr.), Lauren Schulze (Sr.), Kaitlin Skeate (Sr.), Ashlyn Smith (Fr.), and Astrid Van Breedam (Fr.).
The men's starting lineup features Yusuf Baig (Jr.), Julian Baker (Fr.), Luke Barham (Fr.), Mathis Chavand (R-Sr.), Nick Doud (Gr.), Charlie Kistner (Sr.), Zack Loomis (Sr.), Dylan Myers (So.), Blake Oleson (So.), William Sinclair (Gr.), and Josh Weeks (Fr.).
Next up for the Redbirds is a trip to Peoria, Illinois, to compete at the Bradley Pink Classic hosted by Bradley University beginning at 2 p.m.
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