University of Illinois
Fighting Illini Invitational
Illini Cross Country Begins 2026 Season at Home
September 2, 2026 | Men's Cross Country, Women's Cross Country
PREVIEW
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois men's and women's cross country teams are set to begin the 2026 season at home with the Fighting Illini Invitational at the Orange and Blue Golf Course in Savoy, Ill. on Friday (Sept. 4). The women begin their 4k at 6:30 p.m. and the men start their 6k at 7 p.m. CT.
This is the first of three regular season meets the Illini will run, with the other two being at Missouri on Sept. 25 and at Indiana State on Oct. 16. The postseason begins with the Big Ten Championships on Oct. 30 in Madison, Wis. followed by the NCAA Midwest Regionals on Nov. 13 in Ames, Iowa. before concluding the season with the NCAA Championships on Nov. 21 back in Terre Haute, Ind.
Illinois cross country's head coach Eric Johannigmeier is returning for his third year after having the men's team finish 13th out of 15 in the Big Ten Championships and 16th out of 30 in the NCAA Midwest Regionals. On the women's side they finished 13th out of 18 in the Big Ten Championships and 15th out of 32 in the NCAA Midwest Regionals with Nora Wollen, who ran the program's third-fastest 5k at the Joe Piane Invite (16:43.5).
The Fighting Illini women's roster will be joined by freshmen Meg Peterson and Kate Foltz. Peterson was a 12x All-State medalist in high school. Foltz was a 4x All-State and 4x All-Conference and held a state record 3-mile time (15:59.4) while at Tuscola Community in Tuscola, Ill. On the men's side they have returning juniors Trey Sato and Adam Patel, as well as returning sophomore Pol Molins, who all ran a personal best 10k (32:40.3) at the NCAA Division I Midwest Region Cross Country Championships.
