The Illinois cross country club is headed to Rock Island, Ill. this weekend to compete at the 34th Annual Brissman-Lundeen Cross Country Invitational. After a successful showing on a hot day at EIU’s Walt Crawford Open three weeks ago, IXC will toe the line at Augustana against an enormous field of premiere competition from around the Midwest.
Last year, the men placed eighth of 39 teams and the women placed ninth of 35. The Saukie Golf Course was the stage for David Choi”s breakout race. He was the team”s fourth finisher in 26:29. At EIU, Choi was the team”s second finisher and he”ll try to continue that success on Augustana”s fast course.
It will be the men”s first 8K race of the season after the Walt Crawford was shortened to 4 miles due to the heat. Michael Frintner was the seventh man at Augustana last year and has put together a promising string of workouts. Sophomore Quinn Todzo will look to build on a strong race at EIU. The freshmen will be racing their first collegiate 8Ks, and Coach Krauklis said to look out for Leonel Rodriguez and Arturo Woodward-Montes, running his first race with IXC.
This is the first 6K of the season for the women”s team. Megan Mocogni is the top returner from last year at Augustana and Lexy Rudofski, who rounded out the women”s scoring five last year, will run her first race of the season.Lauren Choi put on a show at EIU with a top-7 finish and she”ll look to continue her hot streak. Krauk also said Hannah Behle, making her season debut, is poised for a good race.
Augustana is a haven for PRs, with a fast course and a deep field of great competition. The Saukie Golf Course is flat with a few rolling hills, conducive to fast times. The women race at 5:30 and the men are scheduled to go off at 6:00.
