University of Illinois
Bradley Pink Classic
WXC Travels to Bradley “Pink” Classic
October 13, 2016 | Women's Cross Country
White race at 2pm, red race at 3:30pm
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Coming off a team victory at the Iowa Regional Preview, the Orange and Blue travel to Peoria, Illinois for the Bradley "Pink" Classic on Friday, October 14. The meet features both a white and a red race, starting at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m., respectively.
| Bradley "Pink" Classic | |
|---|---|
| When | October 14 // White Race - 2pm // Red Race - 3:30pm |
| Where | Newman Golf Course // Peoria, Illinois |
| Team Info | Meet Notes | Media Guide | Quick Facts | Twitter |
| Meet Links | Meet Info | Box Asssignments |
Follow the Meet:
Follow @IlliniWXC on Twitter for updates throughout the meet. Full results and a recap of the meet will be provided at the conclusion of the race on fightingillini.com.
Illini Set to Run
White Race: Megan Lemersal, Robin Manarik, Grace Rogers
Red Race: Audrey Blazek, Denise Branch, Amanda Fox, Valerie Bobart, Kim Seger, Diane Lipa, Julia Schultz, Hanna Winter
Coach Jones on the Meet
"I'm really excited for this meet. We're focused on what we're capable of, continuing to see the growth of this team, and building the components to do well at the Big Ten meet. I think you'll see a disciplined, but aggressive, race from us. I think we'll have a good team spread from our first to our fifth runner. That's what it takes for this particular team to be successful."
Illini Win Iowa Regional Preview
The fruits of the team's labor showed at the Iowa Regional Preview, as the Illini won the meet, beating Big Ten foes Iowa and Northwestern. Audrey Blazek led the team for the third straight meet, finishing third overall, while Denise Branch, Amanda Fox and Valerie Bobart added in top-10 finishes of their own.
Blazing a Trail
For the third straight meet, junior Audrey Blazek paced the Illini, while finishing first on the team. After placing sixth at the Illinois State Invite, Blazek bested her 2015 Griak Invite time by 10 seconds despite the soggy conditions at Les Bolstad Course and set a new personal-best time at the Iowa Regional Preview.
Trio Pacing Illini
Fighting Illini runners Audrey Blazek, Amanda Fox and Denise Branch have guided the Orange & Blue in each of the four meets this season, as the trio has placed in the top-10 at three meets. At the Illini Challenge, Branch come through the chute first, while Blazek took top honors at Illinois State, Griak and Iowa.
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.
Seger Stabilizes Top-Five
Through the first three races of the season, senior Kim Seger has quietly been a reliable runner for Coach Jones. With some lineup uncertainty entering the season, Seger has provided a consistent five runner for the team to rely on. This past week, Seger bested her 2015 Griak Invite time by 45 seconds.
Up Next
The Orange and Blue return home to host the Illini Open on October 21. The 4 p.m. meet at the UI Arboretum will conclude the regular season. Big Ten Championships are set for October 30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
