University of Illinois
Illini Open
MXC Hosts Regular Season Finale
October 20, 2016 | Men's Cross Country
Men’s race begins at 4:40 p.m.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Fighting Illini will return home to host their first meet of the season, the Illini Open on Friday, October 21 at 4:40 p.m. central time. The 8,000m run will conclude the regular season, as the Illini make final preparations for Big Ten Championships on October 30 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
| Illini Open | |
|---|---|
| When | Friday, October 21 // 4:40 p.m. |
| Where | UI Arboretum // Urbana, Illinois |
| Meet Resources | Meet Notes | Meet Central | Entries |
| Team Information | Media Guide | Quick Facts | Twitter |
Follow the Meet
Follow @IlliniMXC on Twitter for updates throughout the meet. A full recap and results will be posted on fightingillini.com following the conclusion of the race.
Running for the Illini
Coach Stewart will send out four Illini for the regular season finale, as Luke Brahm, Joe Cowlin, Caleb Hummer and Garrett Lee will run the 8,000m course.
A Look at the Competition
The Fighting Illini will welcome in a number of schools within the state of Illinois, as well as a few others from around the Midwest. Within the Land of Lincoln, Bradley, Eastern Illinois, Illinois State and Northern Illinois will make the trip to Champaign-Urbana, while Butler and Purdue will make the trip as well.
Coach Stewart on the Meet
"It's fun to be home. We travel pretty regularly during the season, and we have very few home race opportunities. The chance to be home, on a course that everybody is familiar with is a nice way to lead into November, and get some good experience for the guys who need it. I feel like we always get a positive response from this meet."
Last Year at the Illini Open
1. Jereme Atchison, 25:23.1
11. Zach Dale (u), 26:13.1
15. Jack Driggs, 26:21.9
21. Tony Zea (u), 26:49.1
37. Caleb Hummer (u), 27:57.5
Orange and Blue Beat Four Ranked Squads at Joe Piane Invite
The Fighting Ilini bounced back from the Roy Griak Invite by placing fifth at the Joe Piane Invite on the campus of Notre Dame, beating four ranked teams in the process. Freshman Jon Davis led the way with a time of 24:13.0, while Jesse Reiser and Dylan Lafond followed with times of 24:15.1 and 24:15.9, respectively.
Reiser Leads Illini in Debut at Griak
Making his season debut, sophomore Jesse Reiser was Illinois' top finisher at the Roy Griak Invite on September 24, placing 30th overall with a time of 25:47. The McHenry, Illinois native is coming off of a freshman campaign that saw him place 11th at Big Ten Championships and receive the Big Ten Freshman of the Year award, the first to do so in Illinois history.
Jon Davis Impresses in Debut
Making his Illini debut at the Bluegrass Invite, freshman Jon Davis clocked a 24:32.7 8K time that placed him third overall. Competing against host Kentucky and ninth-ranked Eastern Kentucky, Coach Stewart applauded his ability to follow the race plan and close hard at the end of the race.
Lafond of You
The Fighting Illini return senior All-American Dylan Lafond after the Manchester, New Hampshire native made his debut on Coach Stewart's squad last fall after transferring from the University of Mount Olive. Placing third at Big Ten Championships last season, Lafond is the top returning runner from last year's meet. FloTrack has Lafond ranked No. 21 in their preseason rankings. In addition to becoming the Illini's first cross-country All-American since 2007, Lafond has excelled on the track, earning All-America honors in the 3,000m steeplechase and breaking the school's indoor 3K and 5K records last winter.
Coach Stewart Reels in Second Straight Top-10 Recruiting Class
For the second year in a row FloTrack has ranked the Orange & Blue in their recruiting class rankings. The 2016 class, led by three-time IHSA State Champion Jon Davis, ranks 10th in the nation and third in Big Ten. Stewart also brought in a top-10 class in 2015 with runners Jesse Reiser, Zach Dale and Caleb Hummer.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini set their sights on Big Ten Championships, as the team will head back to Les Bolstad Course for the second time this season after competing at the Roy Griak Invite in September. The men's race is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. central time.
