University of Illinois
Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite
MXC Travels to Joe Piane Invite
September 29, 2016 | Men's Cross Country
Men’s blue race at 1:45 p.m. CT on Friday
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Orange & Blue will compete at the Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite on Friday, September 30 at 1:45 p.m. central time. The 61st annual Joe Piane Invite hosts five races during the day with the men's blue race second in the lineup.
| Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite | |
|---|---|
| When | Friday, September 30 // 1:45 p.m. CT |
| Where | Burke Golf Course // South Bend, Ind. |
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Follow the Meet:
Notre Dame will provide results at the conclusion of each race at deltatiming.com. Fans can also follow @IlliniMXC on Twitter for updates throughout the meet.
A Look at the Competition
The Fighting Illini will compete against 25 other teams in the men's blue race Friday afternoon, including fellow Big Ten members Nebraska, Purdue and No. 12 Wisconsin. The Illini will also compete against eight ranked opponents, including No. 9 Eastern Kentucky, which the Illini raced against on September 10 at the Bluegrass Invite. Other USTFCCCA ranked opponents include No. 18 UTEP, NO. 20 Mississippi, No. 23 NC State, No. 24 Washington, and No. 30 Texas and Florida State.
Coach Stewart on the Meet
"It's a different course. We saw a really hilly and sloppy course on Saturday [at Griak] and we're going to see a pretty flat golf course at Notre Dame. And, entering the season, this wasn't a meet we were going to race back-to-back weekends, but we came out of Saturday healthier than we might have been had the course been a little tougher. I like the fact that they want to get back after it and compete."
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 will have a week off from competition before competing at the Ed Nuttycombe Wisconsin Invite on October 14. The Illini will host the Illini Open the following Friday to conclude the regular season.
