CHAMPAIGN, Ill.— The Illinois Fighting Illini cross country team is set to compete at the Red Bird Invite hosted by Illinois State on Friday, September 17. The women's team enters the meet ranked No. 17 in the nation by the US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association week one coaches' poll, while the men's squad is currently unranked.

	Red Bird Invite
When	Friday, September 17 | Women's 6k 5:00 p.m. | Men's 8k 5:45 p.m.
Where	Weibring Golf Club // Normal, Ill.
Team Information	Men's Quick Facts | Women's Quick Facts
Social Media	@IlliniTrackXC  | #Illini  | illinitrackxc  | Facebook  | YouTube

Illini Running at the Red Bird Invite

5 PM - Women's 6k: Ayah Aldadah, Rebecca Craddock, Annalyssa Crain, Margaret Gamboa, Olivia Howell, Kora Malacek, Madison Marasco, Allison McGrath, Emma Milburn, Samantha Poglitsch

5:45 PM - Men's 8k:  Tyler Cushing, Jon Davis, Nicolas Dovalovsky, Ben Giblin, Will Giblin, Eddie Lennon, Michael Madiol, Anthony Maida, Bennett Melone, Jack Roberts, Edwin Siuda, Colin Yandel

Notes

Experienced Illini

The 17^th-ranked women are led by graduate students Rebecca Craddock and Allison McGrath, each with four seasons of collegiate cross country experience. Craddock placed 9th at the Big Ten Championships (20:45.5) and 68th at the NCAA Championships (21:12.9) in the shortened spring 2021 season, while McGrath placed 13th at the Big Ten Championships (21:00.1) and 132^nd at the NCAAs (21:45.1). The experience 2021 Illini team also welcomes back seniors Ayah Aldadah, Caroline Fix, Shanice Garbutt, and Madison Marasco, in addition to four juniors on the roster.

The men are led by graduate student Jon Davis, who notched a runner up finish at last season's Big Ten Championships (24:01.8) and a 39^th-place finish at the NCAA Championships (30:46.3). Erwin Loud also returns for the men's Illini cross country team, in addition to seniors Logan Hall and Colin Yandel.

Illini in the Rankings

The Illini women's cross country team is ranked once again, sitting at No. 17 in the USTFCCCA week one coaches' poll, which was released on Tuesday. After a strong 2019 season and cancelation of the 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the experienced women's team, who is also ranked No. 2 in the Midwest region, is looking to build off a strong past several years after head coach Sarah Haveman took the helm in 2018.