University of Illinois
Country Financial ISU Invite
WXC Travels to Normal for ISU Invite
September 8, 2016 | Women's Cross Country
Meet commences at 5:00 p.m. Friday
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After getting their feet wet at the Illini Challenge, the Orange & Blue will compete in their second meet of the season at the ISU Country Financial Invite. Hosted by Illinois State University, the 5K will begin at 5 p.m. central time and take place on the Weibring Golf Course.
| ISU Country Financial Invite | |
|---|---|
| When | September 9 // 5 p.m. |
| Where | Weibring Golf Course // Normal, Ill. |
| Links | Meet Notes | Media Guide | Quick Facts | Season Preview | Twitter |
Illini Set to Run
Much like in the season opener, Coach Jones will send more than 10 runners to Illinois State for the 5K. While most everyone will be running for the second time this season, senior Hanna Winter will be making her season debut.
Full List: Audrey Blazek, Valerie Bobart, Denise Branch, Amanda Fox, Diane Lipa, Robin Manarik, Miranda Marry, Charlotte Nawor, Grace Rogers, Julia Schultz, Kim Seger and Hanna Winter.
A Look at the Competition
Illinois will compete along side nine other squads, including seven within the state of Illinois and two Big Ten foes. Leading the 10-team meet is Wisconsin, who is currently ranked fourth in the Great Lakes Region and received votes in the USTFCCCA preseason poll. Illinois enters the meet ranked eighth in the Midwest Region, while Loyola (10) and Illinois State are also ranked regionally.
Branch Leads Illini at Challenge
Junior Denise Branch led the Orange & Blue in their season opener, as she was one of three Illini to notch top-10 finishes. Timing 18:05.1 in the 5K, Branch was the first of three consecutive Illini to come through the chute, followed by Amanda Fox (18:07.7) and Audrey Blazek (18:11.1). Amongst the 11 Illini runners, Coach Jones had four girls make their Illini debut: Charlotte Nawor, Grace Rogers, Diane Lipa and Julia Schultz.
Veteran Presence
While the squad loses key contributors Alyssa Schneider and Britten Petrey, Coach Jones returns 10 upperclassmen, six seniors, for 2016. Of the 10 veterans, six set new personal-records at Big Ten Championships last November. The Illini also welcome back senior Amanda Fox after she missed the 2015 season. Fox finished second on the team, sixth overall, at the Illini Challenge.
C'mon on over, Valerie
Now a senior, Valerie Bobart will take over as one of the veteran leaders of Coach Jones' squad. Bobart is coming off of a strong end to her 2015 season, setting personal-record 6K times at both Big Ten Championships and NCAA Midwest Regionals. Bobart carried that success onto the track where she qualified for her first NCAA Prelims in the 3,000m steeplechase.
Blazing a Trail
A model of consistency for the Illini, Audrey Blazek proved crucial in guiding the Illini at the Griak Invite and into the postseason where she placed third on the team at Big Ten Championships and at the NCAA Midwest Regional. As someone who Coach Jones describes as leading from "behind the scenes," the red-shirt junior from Naperville will play a crucial role in Illinois' success this season.
Coach Jones on the Meet
"It's our first time traveling, so we need to figure out what we need to do to prepare ourselves since we don't have the benefit of being in our home environment. The second thing we want to do is to build on the experience at the Illini Challenge and try to correct some of our mistakes and continue this process of improving and getting prepared for the championships meets at the end of the season."
Last Year at the ISU Invite
Alyssa Schneider continued her strong start to the 2015 season with her second straight meet individual title, clocking a 17:03.9 winning time. Britten Petrey joined her in the top-10, while returning Illini Audrey Blazek posted a top-20 finish with a time of 19:22.8.
2015 ISU Invite - Illinois Results
1. Alyssa Schneider, 17:03.9
8. Britten Petrey, 18:09.4
17. Audrey Blazek, 18:22.8
32. Valerie Bobart, 18:47.9
39. Hanna Winter, 18:54.7
53. Nicole Choquette, 19:17.6
55. Megan Lemersal, 19:19.3
68. Kim Seger, 19:36.3
93. Ellie Palacios, 20:31.5
2015 ISU Invite - Team Results
1. Loyola - 60
2. Illinois State - 78
3. Illinois - 95
Up Next
The Illini will have a week away from competition before traveling to Minneapolis, Minnesota for the annual Roy Griak Invite. The women's race is set to begin at 1:10 p.m. central time.
