The Illinois Cross Country Club kicks off its 2016 campaign tonight at the EIU Walt Crawford Open. Several freshmen will make their collegiate debuts as the team gets things rolling against teams from Division I through junior college. The Panther Trail is usually made more formidable by sweltering heat, but tonight’s forecast looks cooler than usual in Charleston, Ill.
Last year at EIU, the conditions were so poor that the meet was shortened to four miles. Jared Ripoli led the way for IXC, establishing the club record in the four-mile run and finishing tenth overall and David Choi established himself in the lead pack as the second finisher.
Jack Morrissey has finished in the men’s top seven in each of his past three races at EIU. He’ll look to complete the quadruple tonight. Last year, Leonel Rodriguez put on a strong debut and he’ll look for a repeat performance this fall.
Several new freshmen will make their debut on Friday night in their first chance to race a collegiate 8K. Eli Walker, Brendan Stonequist and Jeff Abbott are a few of the names racing for the first time with IXC after a solid start to collegiate training. Also debuting will be Sean Frintner, the younger brother of top returner Michael Frintner. Michael shone at his collegiate debut at EIU in 2014 as the team’s third runner, tonight his brother will get his first chance to represent the club.
Emma Burkhardt is the top returning woman from this meet last year, where she finished as the team’s fourth runner. Junior Erin McKee and senior Allison Gibson finished sixth and seventh respectively. Erin will have her first chance to compete since last year’s Nationals after a semester abroad in the spring.
EIU will also be the first competition for many newcomers on the women’s side and the meet will provide the first look at which new recruits will contribute this season. Freshman Emily Condic put together a strong summer of training and senior Ellie Palacios should also make a splash.
The course is flat and favorable, and with some luck, the conditions will be more manageable than in years past. It provides a good introduction to collegiate cross country for all the newcomers and it will take strategy to succeed in the heat. The women go off at 4:45 and the men start at 5:30 to begin a new season of IXC.
