Illini Challenge Meet Notes

2015 MXC Record Book

Meet PREVIEW

The Fighting Illini men's cross country team begins the 2015 season on Friday, September 4, at the University of Illinois Arboretum in Urbana for the Illini Challenge. The 6K race is set to start at 7:00 p.m. 

Coach stewart on the Meet

"[We have] upperclassmen, and some of our younger guys racing. It's always a fun meet and I know the guys are anxious to get started. This year, we've had one extra week of practice before our first race so it seems like it's been a little bit longer in building up to it. It'll be a great first race opportunity for some of the guys who are making their Illini debut coming out of a redshirt last year, a couple transfers in there, some guys getting back into cross country, like a Joe McAsey, so it's a good mix of some guys who have a lot of experience and some guys who are beginning to develop experience. The Challenge provides us with a really good opportunity to do that." 

Illini Set to Run

The Orange and Blue will have ten runners in uniform on Friday for the opening meet. The group is led by veterans Jereme Atchison, Liam Markham, and University of North Carolina transfer Jack Driggs. Garrett Lee, Joe Cowlin, and Alex Gold will each be running with the team for the second year. Rounding out the group is a quartet running attached for the first time: redshirt freshmen Zack Smith, Billy Magnesen, Dan Lathrop, and senior sprinter Joe McAsey.  

LOOK AT THE COMPETITION

The Fighting Illini will be competing against Missouri for the second year in a row, with Illinois capturing the title last year by a score of 28-30. Missouri enters the season ranked No. 14 in the Midwest Region by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, while Illinois debuts at No. 5.  

Last year at the challenge

The Fighting Illini men's cross country team was victorious at the 2014 Illini Challenge, capturing the title for the 10th consecutive year. The team edged out border-rival Missouri by two points. 

The top-10 was filled with Illini as they claimed seven of the ten spots. Paul Zeman led the way with a second place finish, clocking in at 18:43. The Orange and Blue swept spots 5-10 with Basting, Gold, Brewster, Burgoon, Lee, and Cowlin finishing consecutively. 

2014 Illini Challenge - Illinois Results

2. Paul Zeman, 18:43 

5. Bryce Basting (unattached), 18:51 

6. Alex Gold, 18:51 

7. Will Brewster, 18:57 

8. Ryan Burgoon, 19:00 

9. Garrett Lee, 19:05 

10. Joe Cowlin, 19:06 

11. Dan Lathrop (unattached), 19:10 

13. Tommy King, 19:20 

21. Zack Smith, (unattached), 19:41 

29. Alex Notton, 20:26 

2014 Illini Challenge - Team Results

1. ILLINOIS - 28

2. Missouri - 30

Up Next

The Illini will travel next Friday to Lexington, Kentucky to compete in the highly competitive Bluegrass Cross Country Invite at 9am on September 12th.