University of Illinois
Big Ten Championships
October 30, 2026 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
RECAP
Full Results
MADISON, Wis. – The Illinois men's and women's cross country teams completed the Big Ten Championships on Friday (Oct. 30) from the Thomas Zimmer Championships Course. Freshman Frank Buchanan was the top Illini finisher in 15th place to earn Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. Additionally, he was the third freshman to finish and was named to the All-Big Ten freshman team for his efforts. He ran the program's third-fastest 8k (23:25.0) en route to these honors.
Pol Molins was the next Illini man to finish in 52nd place on a time of 24:06.9 and his teammate William Strickley wasn't too far behind in 63rd place (24:20.3) to round out the top-3 Illini men. The men's team finished in eighth place out of 15 with 271 points which is their highest team finish since the 2023 team took fifth.
Mireya Bugeja led the way for the Illini women for the third-consecutive race. Today she crossed in 23rd place, narrowly missing the top-20 for All-Big Ten, on a time of 20:25.9. Kennady Anderson was the next Illini to cross in 51st place (20:51.8) while Abbi Steiner rounded out the top-3 in 57th place (20:58.9). The Illinois women finished in 11th place out of 18 with 296 points.
UP NEXT
The Illini are back in action on Friday (Nov. 13) for the NCAA Midwest Regionals in Ames, Iowa.
ILLINI MEN'S RESULTS (8K)
15. Frank Buchanan (23:25.0) PB
52. Pol Molins (24:06.9)
63. William Strickley (24:20.3)
74. Adam Patel (24:30.2)
87. Trey Sato (24:46.3)
MEN'S RESULTS (8K)
1. Oregon – 23
2. Wisconsin – 62
3. Michigan State – 90
4. Minnesota – 122
5. Michigan – 133
6. Washington – 165
7. Purdue – 232
8. Illinois – 271
9. Penn State – 271
10. UCLA – 298
11. Indiana – 302
12. Iowa – 337
13. Rutgers – 349
14. Nebraska – 361
15. Ohio State – 375
ILLINI WOMEN'S RESULTS (6K)
23. Mireya Bugeja (20:25.9)
51. Kennady Anderson (20:51.8)
57. Abbi Steiner (20:58.9)
85. Jane Lynch (21:15.3) PB
101. Olivia Haas (21:34.1)
123. Nicole Poglitsch (22:01.3)
124. Kate Foltz (22.01.8)
125. Stella Davis (22:02.2) PB
137. Meg Peterson (22:37.7)
WOMEN'S RESULTS (6K)
1. Oregon – 35
2. Northwestern – 90
3. Penn State – 92
4. Washington – 115
5. Minnesota – 127
6. Michigan – 171
7. Indiana – 174
8. UCLA – 232
9. Michigan State – 238
10. Nebraska – 265
11. Illinois – 296
12. Wisconsin – 324
13. Iowa – 401
14. Purdue – 420
15. Rutgers – 422
16. Maryland – 467
17. Ohio State – 488
18. USC – 601
