The Illinois Track & Field Club men brought electric energy to the track, delivering standout performances across every event. The sprint crew set the tone early in the 60m dash, where Austin Eckels stormed to a commanding 6.94, a statement of pure acceleration. He was followed by strong finishes from Lance Moore (7.31), Tyler Vizgirda (7.43), and Dante Restelli (7.45) in a tightly packed opener that immediately energized the crowd.

The speed continued into the 200m, where Eckels once again led the charge with an impressive 22.08, showcasing both power and control through the curve. Restelli (23.91) and Moore (24.09) followed with determined efforts that rounded out a competitive sprint contingent. In the 400m, Darryl Boston Jr. took command of the race with a smooth and powerful 53.84, outpacing teammates Koen Brown (55.20) and Restelli (55.58), each demonstrating consistent pacing and strength down the final stretch.

Mid-distance and distance athletes matched the intensity with equally impressive performances. The 600m featured a strong performance from Max Boughner in 1:32.07, followed by Jonah Diehl in 1:34.16, both showcasing excellent race strategy. The 800m continued that theme, with Brody Curtis taking the win in 2:11.89, backed by gritty runs from Boughner and Cole Payne. Distance standout Keith Solberg delivered one of the best doubles of the meet, running 4:50.91 in the mile and an outstanding 9:55.34 in the 3000m. Diehl added depth to the distance squad with a strong 10:17.49 in the longer event.

The men’s relay teams closed the track events with high energy, highlighted by crisp exchanges and strong anchor legs that pushed the squads to competitive finishes. Meanwhile, the field events showcased the team’s technical range. In the long jump, Ryan Pearlman soared to 4.93m, narrowly edging out Braiden Matthiesen (4.79m) and Taylor Watson (4.73m) in a tight horizontal jumping battle. The shot put added even more momentum, where Aaron Murray launched a throw of 11.36m, with Solberg and Georgios Avdis adding important depth with marks of 10.67m and 9.54m, respectively.

From sprints to throws, the Illinois men displayed exceptional versatility, energy, and competitive spirit—setting a high bar for the rest of the season.

The women of the Illinois Track & Field Club delivered an equally exciting slate of performances, highlighted by standout efforts across the track and field spectrum. The sprint events opened with the 60m dash, where Christina Li led the group with a quick 8.99, setting the tone for the women’s squad with sharp acceleration and great poise out of the blocks.

The hurdles brought even more intensity, as Hailey Liu flew to a winning 9.76 in the 60m hurdles, combining speed and precision to clear the field. Right behind her, Taylor Watson (10.11) and Christina Jordan (10.12) battled closely in one of the most competitive women’s events of the meet. Liu returned later to dominate the triple jump with an impressive 11.06m, demonstrating her technical mastery and explosive phase transitions.

In the 200m, Makayla Murrell delivered a powerful race in 27.28, pacing the women’s sprint squad with exceptional turnover and curve running. The 400m added even more depth, led by Danuta Carvalho, who clocked a smooth 1:03.46, with Laney Bullivant following in 1:07.38. Both athletes displayed great pacing and endurance as they battled through the final meters of the race.

The women distance runners also contributed strong efforts, highlighted by Piper Rieger in the 800m, who ran a steady and controlled 3:42.08 to secure the top spot. Her performance reflected the resilience and consistent work of the women’s mid-distance squad throughout the season.

In the field events, the women continued to shine. Liu’s triple jump victory led the way, and the long jump saw competitive marks from several athletes, contributing valuable scoring opportunities. The women’s squad demonstrated excellent technical skill and consistency, rounding out a well-balanced meet for the group.

Altogether, the Illinois women showcased speed, precision, power, and grit across all events. Their performances revealed excellent momentum heading into upcoming competitions, proving that this squad is primed for an outstanding season.

GOOOOD MORNING XC NATION! 

We did it! We braved the long drive, survived the early mornings, raced with vigor and determination, and crushed Nationals. Unfortunately, this marks the end of the XC season. I genuinely can’t believe it’s already over. It feels like the Grizzly Invite was only a week or so ago. I’m so proud of this team. I know everyone was working hard throughout the season. Every workout, every easy run, and every mile counted towards this race. You should all be proud of the work you put in. I feel that this team has grown significantly, not only in speed and skill but also in fostering closer team bonds. Now, let’s get into the actual trip. 

It all started on Friday morning. All runners were supposed to meet at the Armoury at 5:50 AM to ensure we could depart at 6. Unfortunately, a couple of runners, who I won’t name *Cough Cough Lenny* *Cough Cough Cole*, slept through their alarms and needed to be picked up. They were also both in my van, so we swung by Ikenberry and ISR to pick them up. If you didn’t know, instead of taking cars down to Hershey, we rented giant vans. Thank you to Mrs. Snider, Mr. Forsell, and Mrs. Harmon for generously driving us around all weekend. None of this would be possible without them. Many of our runners quickly went back to sleep once in the van. However, the van I was in, the Snider Speedwagon, aka the best van, mostly stayed pretty talkative. Along the way, each car stopped to grab lunch before continuing the drive to Barkcamp State Park. Once at the park, the Forsell and Snider vans hopped out and began their shakeout run. It felt nice to get the legs pumping after being stuck sitting for so long. The team ran along beautiful, but slippery trails that were made even more dangerous when the downpour of rain started. After our muddy trek ended, we loaded back into the vans and prepared to go. But right before we left, the Harmon van finally made it! They were making the most of their journey, and if that meant being late to the shakeout, so be it. We continued on with our trip until it was time for Dinner. The Forsell van stopped at the Italian Oven Restaurant, and described it as very delicious. The Snider van stopped at Olive Garden, allowing Jonah to get gluten-free pasta and allowing me to play Plants vs. Zombies on the little iPads they give you. While we left Olive Garden, the Harmon van walked in. But unfortunately for them, the restaurant had begun filling up, and there was now a long wait for a table. Attempting to beat the wait, they instead went to Applebee’s. Eventually, we made our way to Comfort Inn. Due to time constraints and one of the vans running late, we had to postpone nats raps to Saturday. Everyone went to their rooms, showered, hopped into bed, and dreamed about all the wonderful performances to come.

Early next morning, our runners raced outta bed to beat the Tar Heels, who were also staying at our hotel, to breakfast. After many bananas were eaten, water was drunk, and IXC tattoos were applied, we gathered our bags and headed to the course. 

Everyone had dreams that the course would be magical and smell like chocolate. Instead, it smelled like cows and manure, so not exactly what we wanted. To cure our dissatisfaction, NIRCA gave us Orange face wraps, which matched our Illinois merch.  After setting up our camp, some decided to take a sneak peek at the course, while others made sure to get extra rest. 

It wasn’t long before our first race of the day, the Women’s Junior/Senior/Grad race. Luckily, this year we don’t have any runners in a race alone. Annika Luthe and Lia Tondeva got to run this race together. Annika started the day off well, being the first Illinois runner to brave the course and finish. She finished with a fantastic time of 27:27. Lia finished next with a great time of 31:59. Lia said it wasn’t what she was hoping for, but she was glad to be at the meet with such great teammates, and she was excited to visit Hershey World. 

The next race up was the men’s Junior/Senior/Grad race. A lot of runners in this race had experience on the course from last year; they were hoping to use that to their advantage. Simon Hildy was one of those runners, using his experience on the course to land himself on the podium, FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW! Simon ran 29:30, leading the race for the first 2 miles and having an all-around fun time. Thomas Harmon was following his trail, finishing in 29:45. Thomas said it was a beautiful day to run, and he felt satisfied. Up next was Alan Gu, who ran a quick time of 32:56. Alan stated that the most important thing in the race was to persevere through the hills, and that’s what he did to run such a great time. Next was Robert Henke, who said he learned how to pace himself, which helped him run his time of 34:19. Next was Aidan Farrell, rounding out the team with a quick time of 36:01. Now it’s time to talk about everyone’s favorite runner, Terry Ryson. Unfortunately for Terry, the confusing course and strange directions from the course officials caused Terry to go off course. While he doesn’t have an official time, he finished number 1 in our hearts. 

The Women’s Championship race was next. Our top 7 made their way to the line while they listened to the cheering of the rest of us. Our team all gathered around to watch the start. Our quickest women crowded in the box, ready to take down the other teams. The championship race started, and by the end, we had another Podium finish. Aubrey Chaney took 2nd place overall, finishing in 22:30. She said she felt good and was proud of her 2nd place finish. Lenny Sterritt was next, crossing the line at 25:17. Lenny ran the hills smartly but began to die toward the end of the race. Not giving up, she locked in for the final stretch and ended up with a new PR. Evelyn Rowan ran a quick race, ending up with a fantastic time of 26:25. Evelyn said she had a great final race and actually enjoyed the hills because they allowed her to see the other runners. Emma Bergmann and Anika Lovisa finished the race back to back. Emma finished first, with a time of 27:06. She had a great race, moving up and passing runners as the race continued. Emma loved being on the team and had a great season. Anika was right behind Emma, finishing with a time of 27:08. Anika stated that the hills cooked her legs, but she was still happy with her race. Next was Samantha Anderson, who finished her race in 27:26. Sam and Annika wanted to say that they not only ran the same time today, but they also did at regionals! Last up in the Championship race was Anna Zlatic, who crossed the line with a time of 27:41. We had a lot of great performances and even a PR! This team didn’t let the nonstop hills of the race stop them, as they laid it all out on the course and ended up taking 15th place. 

Now it was time for the men’s championship race. Most of the team had run this course last year, so they knew how to take the hills. Unfortunately for Max and Jeremy, they only had what we told them and a course map to prepare. The top 7 men gathered in the box with the support of the rest of the team behind them. The race quickly started, and our runners were off. Even though it was his first time running the course Max Henige was the first to finish, with a time of 27:11. Percy Moser was right behind him, running 27:18. They both ran fantastic races and landed spots on the Podium. Max took 12th and Percy took 16th. Percy said he’s already hungry for more.  Ethan Forsell was next up, finishing with a time of 27:54. Ethan was very happy with the team, saying that everyone ran their races very smartly. Next was Jensen Bidmead, who finished his race with a time of 28:15. Jensen was happy he was able to give his race all he had. After Jensen was Albert Szewczyk, who ran a 28:37. Albert said he was happy he could score for the team. Jeremy Perez wasn’t far behind him, with a time of 28:43. Jeremy was shocked when he saw people dropping out of the race mid way through. He was able to persevere with the help of team support in the back stretch. I was next finishing with a time of 29:14. The team fought through the hills and used their speed down the backstretch. Through their determination, they were able to score a 4th place finish! Coach Ethan was very very proud of the team, and the excitement was through the roof (if there had been a roof). 

Let’s not forget about the future of our team! It’s time for the Freshman/Sophomore races. The Men were the first to race. This team was roudy and ready for the race to start. When the gun finally went off, they rushed to the very front of the pack. While that may not have been a great strategy, seeing that they were about to run through 3 miles of hills. It worked out for Walter Chang. Walter was the first men’s finisher, crossing the line at 29:42. Walter actually led the race for the first mile and still finished well. After Walter was Alex Demas, who finished with a time of 30:14. Alex says he could have done better, but was still happy with his effort. Cole Payne was the next finisher, who crossed the line at 30:17. Cole was very happy that he was able to conservatively handle the hills, then have fun speeding down the downhills. Next was  Keith Solberg, who finished with a time of 30:31. Keith actually expected the race to be worse and tougher than it really was. He felt the best racing he had all season. Next was Morgan Fredrick, who raced a fantastic 30:47. Morgan wishes he could have gone a little faster, but he had fun on the hills.  Kyle McCoskey was our next finisher, who crossed the line with a quick time of 31:28. Not far behind was Jonah Diehl, who finished in 31:42. Jonah wishes we had a better hill to train on in Champaign, but still ended up passing many people on the hills. Next was Even Kemph, who ran an amazing time of 32:54. Max Boughner was our next runner to cross the line, finishing in 33:47. Max is currently worried his calf is going to explode after the race, but is still happy with his effort. Last up was Miles Moomaw, rounding out the day for our men with a quick time of 34:54. We had a lot of ambitious racers who fought hard to secure their quick times and well-deserved places. Great job to our Fresh/Soph Men. (We also had a discussion on whether it should be fresh/soph or frosh/sop. I say it should be fresh/soph) 

On to our final race of the day, the Women’s freshman/sophomore race. Now that almost everyone had already run their race, all eyes and ears were tuned in to watch and support our women. We had a strong group of 4 runners, excited to speed through the race. Our whole team gathered to watch them start their race. Finally, the race started, and our women were off, passing each runner one by one. Charlotte Kroll was our first finisher, crossing the finish line at 26:53. Charlotte raced an amazing Pr and had a great race. Actually, not only did Charlotte PR, but every one of our runners in this race ran a new PR! Dana Reed was next, finishing in 27:47. Dana had a great race and said it was super fun that she could see the other racers when going down the hills. After Dana was Kiley Senall, who ran a fantastic time of 29:34. Our final racer of the day was Margaret Walsh, who finished with a time of 35:16. Maggie said she had an awesome and fun-filled race. It was awesome watching these girls run. The future for the team is bright!

After Awards, we couldn’t skip going to Hershey World. Just like last year, everyone had a blast buying candy and riding the World of Chocolate ride. Eventually, we left Hershey and drove another 2 hours to our hotel for the night. While we drove, everyone made their final drafts for their Nats rap. Spirits were high, excitement was through the roof, and now it was time for one of the most important traditions. After showering, everyone gathered in one of the rooms and took turns sharing their rap. Some were cheerful, and some were a little mean, but they were all lots of fun. On Sunday, we braved the drive and drove all the way back home. Overall, everyone did an amazing job during their races. I had a great job getting to know everyone better, and I feel the team grew closer together through this trip. 

Thank you guys for an amazing season. I’ve had a wonderful time as your webmaster. Whether it was writing meet reports or making TikToks, it was a fun experience all around. I know the next Web Master will do a fantastic job, I wish them the best of luck 

Signing off, 

Maxwell Maloney

Picture Link: https://photos.app.goo.gl/D4JTuoCTQneLfVyQA

 Hello, all Cross country fans and followers! 

Regionals has kicked off our postseason, and guess what! Both our men’s and women’s teams qualified for nationals! But before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you how the day started out. At 7:50, we all hopped into our cars and began to make the drive. We all took a nice drive north to Wisconsin, going through the suburbs of Chicago. Well, not all of us, Morgan decided to brave it out and go right through the city. Eventually, we all made it to the meeting with plenty of time to spare. While many of us tried to relax before the race, the bees did not agree with that plan and decided to disrupt us the whole time. Many trying to escape to bees, and worried about the hills, decide to do a walk around the course. Eventually, our time of peace was over; now it was time to get ready to race!

Finally, the weather had begun to chill. While still warm during the day, the heat was not overwhelming as it has been during the past meets. Most of the rain and the mud from the previous day had dried, leaving only a few wet patches. It seemed like the perfect day to race. As the women concluded their warmup, they marched over to the line and began their strides. After a team huddle and a speech from Coach Ethan, which I can only assume was primarily focused on trying to beat Wisconsin, the women ran back and through the tunnel the men had created. This tradition, started by the women’s team, is now done before both the men’s and women’s races, hopefully giving some pre-race hype to the racers. I at least think it’s fun, and I’m glad both our Women and Men do it before each race now. After the tunnel, the Women approached the line and prepared for the cannon to fire. Yeah, that’s right, not a gun, a cannon!

Boom! The cannon fired, and the race began. The first one to cross the line for the Illini was Joy Dudley. Joy made a fantastic return, running 25:08 after not racing since the Grizzly 5k, and came back right when she was needed. She helped out the Women’s team by taking 7th place overall, which was a big help to the team score. Evelyn Rowan finished quickly behind Joy with a time of 25:39, also landing her a top 10 finish, placing 9th.  Third up was Sophia Libman, who, despite the very hilly course, beat her time from last meet, finishing her race in 26:20. After Sophia, the Illini finished 14th-17th, while also starting and ending with an An(n)ika. Anika Lovisa led the pack with a quick time of 26:27, a time she must have put all her energy into because she was very excited to go to Culvers after the meet. Samantha Anderson quickly followed Anika, racing 26:35, securing her a top 5 spot for the Illini.  Emma Bergmann said at our Friday pasta dinner that she was feeling super fast and was feeling quicker by the moment. Despite the possible sarcasm in her statement, she did end up having a fantastic race, finishing her race in 26:45. Annika Luthe rounded out this amazing group, running an amazing 26:53. Sennah Rashidian and Anna Zlatic were the next to finish, both ending up with final times of 27:28! Sennah barely outkicked Anna, beating her by 0.27 seconds. Both ended up crushing the hills and running a fantastic race. Dana Reed was next, pushing herself to her limits and earning herself a new pr of 28:17. Great job racing Dana! Jocelyn Cielo-Grande crushed her 6k debut, finishing in a speedy 28:26. What an amazing job on her first 6k! Lia Tondeva was another one of our fantastic racers who stepped up to the challenge and ran quicker than she did at Augustana. Lia completed her race in 28:41. But not far behind Lia was Charlotte Kroll, running a speedy 28:49 and outkicking a Loyola runner trying to catch up on the last straightaway. Danuta Carvalho was our next runner, who also earned herself a new PR after running faster than her Purdue time. She ran an amazing time of  29:37. The one and only Mira Bhimani finished next. Mira had a great race, almost catching another Mizzou runner at the end and finishing with a time of 30:01. Kiley Senall had a strong race, matching her time at Purdue, despite this course being much hillier. Kiley was our last runner and crossed the line in 30:57. Our women were tough as nails and took 3rd place overall, while racing against a lot of tough teams. Overall the consensus was that the course was very tough, although there was a downhill toward the end that was surrounded by beatiful fall trees, which made the last bit of the race enjoyable. Many of the women warned the men of spots on the course which had bad footing or areas with lots of mud. Now it was time of the men to get ready. 

After the warning from the women, and the look of pure exhaustion, many of the men were worried. The men also decided to warmup by running up the big hill that they would have to run up twice during the race, possibly worrying even more runners. However, once the men got to the line and started their strides, Coach Ethan calmed everyone’s nerves with an inspiring speech. Terry also provided a bit of humor on the line by trying to fit his feet into Avery’s spare running shoes which were definitely too small for him. The men ran back through the tunnel the women made, and towed the line ready for the cannon to fire. 

The cannon blasted off, and so did our men, charging down the field and up the large hill for the first time. By the end of the race, the first to cross the line was Percy Moser once again. While Percy said he thought he could have gone faster, he still took 5th place overall and ran a fantastic time of 26:31. Ethan Forsell was our next finisher, quickly following Percy. Ethan also seemed slightly disappointed but still placed 7th and quickly crossed the line in 27:04. I think these guys are being too hard on themselves and believe that they did great! Albert Szewczyk finished his race in 27:31, beating his previous season time from Purdue. Great job Albert! Jensen Bidmead ran an amazing race, almost catching up to Albert with his time of 27:39. Jensen was moving up places the whole race, beating out many of the runners who started their race too quick. Jeremy Perez ran a quick race, crossing the line in 27:47. Jeremy is always a fantastic team runner, encouraging the teammates around him while he’s running. I (Maxwell Maloney) finished next with a time of 27:55. Blake Salbilla finished right behind me, finishing in 28:03. Blake showed that his Augustana time was a fluke by beating his time by over a minute. Amazing job Blake! Unfortunately, he told me that he didn’t think there were going to be any more hills after the 2nd time going over the big one, leaving him with little energy for the next hills. Alex Herrera finished right behind Blake, finishing in a swift 28:06. James Stanley bowled himself down the straightaway, striking down the other teams and not leaving any places to spare! James crossed the line in 28:37. Everett Sinson was determined to have a great race, joining one of the top packs at the beginning of the race. It paid off with a great time of 28:43. Simon Hildy ran a strong race, finishing under 30 with a time of 28:59. Thomas Harmon is looking even better after his rust buster last meet. He raced even faster and finished with a time of 29:03. Marucs Finley ran over 2 minutes faster than his last race, finishing in 29:52. He told me next race, he wants to try to take another 2 minutes off his time. Morgan Frederick showed his previous injury isn’t holding him back by shaving off a minute from his last race. He finished in a speedy 29:53. Keith Solberg tried his best to catch up to Alex Demas, even passing him at one point, but Alex was just too speedy. Alex finished in 30:07, with Keith right on his tail at 30:08. They both ran a great race! Jonah Diehl didn’t listen to racers worrying about how difficult the course would be. He went out there and raced another PR, crossing the line in 30:36. Sam Lambert was next, racing his first race of the season with a time of 31:11. He kept calm before the race by lying in the grass and watching the sky with Percy. Steven Roberts also ran his first 8k of the season, crossing the line in 31:21. Brendan Graven ran a nice time of 31:24. Unfortunately for Brendan, after the race, he had to bring the tent all the way up another hill and back to his truck. Max Boughner ran his season best, beating his Purdue time with his new time of 32:40. Great racing Max! Ryland O’Hanlon stayed strong through the course and ran a wonderful race, finishing with a time of 33:09. Avery Bennett was another racer who defied the odds and ran a Pr. Avery ran a great time of 34:12. Miles Moomaw finished next and raced a fantastic PR. Miles ran 34:46, crushing his time from Augustana. The next finisher was Robert Henkel, who stayed under the 26 minute threshold by running a swift time of 35:59. Finally, we have Terry Ryson, who almost took 3 minutes off his time from last meet! Terry was also a great teammate, even taking some pictures of our runners who were passing by while he was still racing. Terry loved the shoes we used for the race and can’t wait to get his own pair. The Men’s team had a great day, taking 2nd place overall. We had lots of great performances, and I can’t wait to see how we’ll do at Nats. 

After the races, we picked up our awards and took some team pictures. And headed to get food. Most Cars stopped at Culver’s, and some even stopped at the Cheese Castle. The cars, unfortunately, had to brave the rain and drive back through a storm to make it back to Champaign. The team did so well, and I’m so excited to see how nationals turn out. 

Your dear friend, 

Maxw Maloney

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/sitGMqi8TcxdcFvr8

Helloooooo Everyone!! IXC just finished one of its most famous and highly anticipated meets, Augustana!! This meet is known to be a quick race on a flat course, giving our runners a chance for a PR. Let me tell you, our racers did not disappoint. Despite the heat, we had a lot of amazing performances and PRs. Luckily, once again, we left the armoury later than the last meet, even after the races got pushed earlier in the day because of the heat. Well-slept and ready, we departed for our long drive. This one was longer than the past couple of drives, being about 3 hours away. Fortunately for us, I know many of the cars were talkative, making the drive easier. Finally, we arrived and even had a little time to relax and have fun before it was time to warm up. Photos were taken and TikToks created, but eventually, the time to warm up was upon us. 

For once, the Men’s race was first, meaning they had to warm up first. We took a little tour of the course, laughed at some signs, and put on our spikes. This meet was against a lot of D3 teams, meaning the competition was high, but our men came ready to race. Well… not entirely ready, as when the gun went off two minutes earlier, many of us were still joking around in the box. After the shocking start, our racers sprinted off, but the first to finish was Percy Moser, taking 2nd place in the meet, finishing with a time of 26:22. This was Percy’s third meet, finishing 1st for our team. Great job! Quickly finishing behind him, and taking 5th place overall was Coach Ethan Forsell, finishing in 16:50. Next, we have Jeremy Perez, running a PR of 27:16, crushing his time from last week! Alex Herrera finished next. He was determined to prove himself after the last meet, and he did, running a time of 27:23. Jensen Bidmead was next, cruising through the race and finishing in a time of 27:49. Once again, I (Maxwell Maloney) followed Jensen through the race, finishing in 28:05. Walter Chang was our next finisher, breaking 29 with a time of 28:47. Simon Hildy was next finishing in a time of 28:58, before jetting off to go watch a concert in Las Vegas. Blake Salbila ran his first 8k with the club, finishing with a quick time of 29:15. Thomas Harmon returned, ready to race, speeding through the finish, ending with a time of 29:21. Alex Demas followed Thomas, crossing the finish line in 29:30. Next, we had a Senior + Freshman team-up of Adam Lupatkin and Cole Payne, working together to run times of 30:01 and 30:06. After that duo we had another pack of runners all fighting to stay under 31. First in the pack was Keith Solberg, running his first race back from injury in 30:26. Finishing right behind Keith was Zach Coren, swiftly finishing in 30:33. Morgan Frederick ran his first 8k this year, crossing the line in 30:43 (Let’s hope his PT doesn’t see this). Jonah Diehl closed the sub-31 pack, ending his race with a PR of 30:47. Brendan Graven was our next runner to cross the line, destroying his time from last meet, with a new time of 31:08. Alan Gu finished right behind Brendan and ran more than a minute faster than his time from last week!! He crossed the line in 31:17. Kyle McCoskey was our next finisher, racing a swift time of 31:34. A quick pack of Illinois runners finished next, and Nick Kwentus led the pack, racing a fast time of 31:58. Ryland O’Hanlon was right behind Nick, crossing the line in 32:05, more than a minute faster than his last race! Evan Kemph was next, racing a fast time of 32:11. Marcus Finley rounded out the pack, running a 32:14, without eating any food that day! Robert Henkel was our next finisher, showing up to the meet in a full dripped out fit. Robert ran a swift 33:38, followed quickly by Aidan Farrell, who beat his time from last week and finished in 33:41. Avery Bennett was our next racer, crossing the line in 35:31. Miles Moomaw ran his first race as an Illini, ending his race in 36:02. Assistant to the Coach, Aidan Markiewicz ran this race instead of only being stuck on car duty, finishing in 37:39. Terry Ryson was our last racer, running his first 8k in 48:09, and staying optimistic and smiling the whole time. Overall, the men had a lot of PRs and took 2nd place, despite the tough competition. 

Now it was the Women’s time to step up and run some fantastic times. After watching the men’s race, they headed over to the line and prepared for the gun to go off. They looked more prepared than the men as the race started. Quickly, Aubrey Chaney took the lead and maintained it throughout the whole race, finishing 1st with a time of 23:07. Lenny Sterritt was our 2nd finisher, crossing the line in 25:23, substantially beating her time from last meet. Next up was Carolina Gallegos, who ran her first race in 25:41. Samantha Anderson was out next runner, finishing in 26:08. After Sam, there was a big pack of Illinois runners. Anika Lovisa led the pack, running a 26:28. Quickly after Anika came a large portion of the IXC board, finishing back to back. Sophia Libman ran her first race this season in 26:35, with Emma Bergmann and Anna Zlatic crossing the line quickly after her, finishing with times of 26:42 and 26:46. BTW Anna also ran almost a minute faster than her last race! Charlotte Kroll was our next finisher, racing a PR of 27:18. Next to finish was Jennifer Ruiz, who ran a quick time of 28:18. Lia Tondeva was our next finisher, crossing the line in a fantastic 29:04. Mira Bhimani had an amazing race, finishing a whole minute quicker than her last race and crossing the line in 29:25. Our next runner to cross the line was Kara Lotz ending her race in 29:43. Hannah Madla was next, running quickly to stay under 30. She succeeded with a time of 29:54. Dana Reed quickly followed Hannah with a time of 30:15. Margret Walsh was our last finisher of the day, racing a quick 40:17. A lot of big PRs and great racing led to the Women taking home 5th place. 

Overall, our team persevered through the heat and had a lot of great performances. We celebrated by taking a trip to the Famous Arthur’s Deli and eating some delicious sandwiches. Let’s keep up the good work for Regionals! 

Sincerely, 

Max Maloney 

Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/MsMuosCwsmmAUzmo9 

2nd Meet Down! I hope everyone had a wonderful time at the Purdue meet, and I hope you now have a wonderful time reading about it. Luckily, our meet day started off later than the Grizzly invite did, leaving at 5:45 am instead of 5:00. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but I know the extra sleep was very appreciated. After a quick car ride, we arrived… to the parking lot. The lot was surprisingly far away from the course, so we had a lot of walking to do. Eventually, we all made it, set up the tent, and prepared for the races ahead of us. And by prepared for the races, I mean everyone got in line for a porta-potty. 

However, now it was almost time for the Women’s race. Our Women warmed up, threw on their bibs, laced up their spikes or shoes, and made their way to the line. The only problem was that we had no idea what box number our team was in! Our team must be lucky because they guessed right and didn’t need to move at the very last minute (forshawdowing for later). Finally, the gun went off, and the race was on its way. To say this was an easy race would be a lie. As the race started, the sun escaped from the clouds, making it very hot. As the saying goes, that every midwestern dad and Coach Ethan knows, it’s not the heat that gets you, it’s the humidity. Unfortunately, it was also very humid. That, mixed with the hilly terrain, made this a rough one. But our first finisher, Aubrey Chaney, didn’t care about how difficult the day was and won the race in a time of 23:17! Another runner finishing in the top 10 was Evelyn Rowan with a 6th place finish and a time of 24:57. Unfortunately, just missing the top 10, but still having an amazing race, was Lenny Sterirtt, finishing in a swift time of 25:59. Quickly following Lenny was Samantha Anderson. Sam ran a quick 26:14, beating out a Purdue runner trying to catch her. Our first freshman to finish was Anika Lovisa with an amazing time of 26:40. Next up was a ferocious pack of determined runners, with the first being Emma Bergmann, finishing in 26:45. Right behind her was Fatima Siddiqui with a quick time of 27:01. Following Fatima was Sennah Rashidian, quickly finishing her race in  27:17. After Sennah we had a bunch of runners finishing almost back to back. This huge group started with Charlotte Kroll and Annika Luthe finishing one after the other in 27:26 and 26:32. Following them was Anna Zlactic, breaking up a pack of Purdue runners and earning a fantastic time of 27:40. Quickly following behind was the fantastic duo of Lia Tondeva and Dana Reed, finishing in 28:10 and 28:19. Claire Siebert had a great race, finishing in 28:46. The next racer was  Alessandra Woods who finished her first 8k with a fast time of 29:13. Jennifer Ruiz and Danuta Carvalho had a great run together finishing together in 29:38 and 29:40. Kiley Senall was the next finisher making sure to stay under 31 by finishing in 30:57. Mira Bhimani had a wonderful run finishing in 31:39, almost exactly 8:30 pace! Margaret Walsh was our final racer, rounding out the team with a time of 37:16. Our Women’s team had an amazing day with some great racing. Overall, they finished in 2nd place. Unfortunately, the Women were slightly disappointed, but not because of their racing, but because the men forgot to bring any of their stuff from the line back to camp. So they had to walk all the way back to the start line to retrieve their gear. 

Now it was time for the Men’s race. After a spontaneous warmup where everyone seemed to be running different distances at different times, in different directions, the team suited up and prepared for the upcoming race. Luckily, the women came back to the start line to grab their stuff at the perfect moment, being able to cheer the men off for the start. The gun went off, and our men started running. After lots of hills in the grueling heat, Percy Moser was the first to finish with a time of 26:29, taking 2nd place overall. It must have been a great day for our racers because we had 4 more runners finish in the top 10! Next was Coach Ethan Forsell, finishing with a 27:07. Not far behind was Max Henige, who his finished his first race this season in 27:16. Albert Szewczyk and Jeremy Perez rounded out the top 10, finishing together at 27:39 and 27:42. Quickly following them was the one and only Simon Hildy, racing a quick 27:49, and securing our team score by beating out three purdue runners behind him. After Simon, we had a big pack of Illinois runners, who continuously switched places throughout the race, starting with Jensen Bidmead, who ran a time of 28:16. After Jensen, James Stanley, and Maxwell Maloney finished with times of 28:19 and 28:25. Rounding out this big pack was the freshman, Everett Sinson, who finished in a swift time of 28:32. The Alex Duo of Alex Herrera and Alex Demas finished next. Herrera finished first with a time of 28:58, beating out Demas’ time of 29:17. It looks like Herrera was able to prove why he should be called Alex 1. Right behind the Alex Duo was Walter Chang, racing a quick 29:19. Dakota Amar was able to keep under the 30 minute mark by racing a 29:57. Kyle McCoskey and Jonah Diehl battled it out till the very end with Kyle barley making it out on top with a time of 30:55. Jonah still had a great race with a time of 30:57. Brendan Graven and Marcus Finley were the next finishers racing fantastic times of 31:41 and 32:02. Next to cross the line was Evan Kemph who ran a swift time of 32:24. Alan Gu was next racing an amzing and aestheticly pleasing 32:32. Max Boughner, Cole Payne, and Ryland O Hanlon finished one after another with Max leading. They ran a 32:49, 32:55, and Ryland finished the pack with a 33:12. Also, I want to take this time to give a huge Shoutout to Ryland’s parents. They flew out to watch us race and even brought snacks for the team! Aidan Farrell closed out the meet for us, ending the day with a 34:02. Overall, the Men’s team took first place, finally beating out Purdue after years of taking 2nd. 

After the meet, the cars split up to all find places to eat around Lafayette. Many Cars were disappointed that the wait at Triple XXX, a famous burger and root beer joint, was around 30 minutes. Ultimately, everyone found somewhere to eat where they didn’t have to wait in a long queue. It turned out to be a nice race day with both teams running and placing well. 

See you next meet,

Maxwell Maloney

https://photos.app.goo.gl/sLCoby6hrUWfMUmt7

Hello Everyone! It’s finally time, cross country season is back!! To start the 2025 season, IXC headed to Shelbyville, Indiana, for the Grizzly Invite. We had a huge group of 53 runners signed up for this race. Unfortunately, with the races beginning so early, and us losing an hour due to the time difference, we needed to leave the armoury at 5 am. Sleepy-eyed and tired from our various amounts of sleep, we hopped into our cars and drove to the meet. Sorry to all the drivers who had to stay awake while their passengers napped (Except Alex Herrera, who proudly told me he stayed awake to keep Ethan Company). We finally reached the meet, set up the tent, and prepared for the races.

Our women’s team ran their warmups, put their bibs on, and we now race-ready. Our mighty team of 13 ladies were ready to show up and dominate this 5k. After a team huddle and a pep talk from Coach Ethan, they got in the box and waited for the gun. Finally, it went off, and the amazing performances started. The first to cross for the Illini was Joy Dudley, quickly followed by Carly Shipman. These two had amazing races and finished together with times of 20:12 and 20:13 in the 5k. Next up was Evelyn Rowan with a swift time of 20:32. Not only did she perfectly plan the team’s travel to the meet, but she also perfectly planned her race with an impressive time. After Evelyn, we had Samantha Anderson with a fantastic time of 21:05. After Sam, there was a race to the line between Lenny Sterritt and Anika Lovisa, with Lenny barely edging out Anika. Both finished with a time of 21:29; however, Lenny’s was 0.14 seconds faster. What a great race and finish from the both of them. Rounding out the top seven was Emma Bergmann, who made it to the finish line with a speedy time of 21:55. Next up was Jocelyn Cielo-Grande, who made her IXC debut with a time of 22:27. What a fantastic first race! We also had a pack of new runners after Jocelyn, with Dana Reed finishing with a time of 22:40 and Charlotte Kroll with a time of 22:42.  These freshmen really showed everyone that the team’s future is bright. Following right behind the freshman pack was Lia Tondeva, who ran a time of 22:52. Lia was very excited for the season to start and showed it by running an amazing race. Annika Luthe crossed the line next, finishing in a stunning time of 23:18. The final runner for our astounding women’s team was Mira Bhimani, who had a wonderful finish in a prompt 24:17. The team took 4th overall at the meet, being a great introductory meet for some, and a fantastic rust-busting meet for others. 

After cheering on the Women’s team, running warmups of varying distances, and putting their spikes on, the Men’s team was ready to race. With a huge group of runners, they made their way to the line and took up 3 whole boxes. Anticipation was high, the gun went off, and the racing began. First to finish for the men was Percy Moser, who took 3rd overall and set a new 5k club record at 15:54. Percy’s high-mileage summer training paid off for him. Next up was Coach Ethan Forsell, taking 7th place overall with a time of 16:14. Luckily, Ethan’s Achilles survived another week so he could have an amazing race. Rounding out the top 10 was freshman Jeremy Perez, racing a mighty time of 16:19. But Jeremy wasn’t the only freshman to break into our top 7 racers, as Blake Salbilla was right behind him with a time of 16:28. Freshmen really are getting faster every year! We had a big pack of racers up next, with Simon Hildy leading the pack with 16:37. I (Max Maloney) followed also with a 16:37. Alex Herrera and Albert Szeczyk also quickly finished with times of 16:39 and 16:41. This group saw each other a lot during the race and kept switching places back and forth. It was a close race for all 4 of them. Jensen Bidmead was up next with an amazing time of 16:58, staying under the 17-minute mark. Everett Sinson, another amazing freshman, finished next with a swift time of 17:11. I can’t wait to see all these Freshmen keep up the good work once we start running 8ks. The Dynamic 705 duo of Alex Demas and Walter Chang worked together for a quick finish of 17:25 and 17:27. Our next runner was the freshman Cole Payne, who ran a 17:37 for his first race as an Illini. Cole has been putting in the work during practice, which has helped him out for this race. Steven Roberts and Kyle McCoskey finished together with times of 18:04 and 18:06. The grad student and freshman combo both had a fantastic race. Not only do we have another duo of Zach Coren and freshman Liam Grady both running 18:18, but right behind them is the duo of Morgan Frederick and Max Boughner. They ran 18:25 and 18:26. The team did a wonderful job sticking together and using each other to race better. Following Max was Brenden Graven with a time of 18:39, who told me he had no comments at all about the race. Nick Kwentus finished next with 18:47. He got some extra sleep in the car, which helped him run a great time. Freshman Kaj Armendinger was next with a great first race, finishing in 18:55. Sophomore Ryland O’Hanlon and Junior Alan Gu had a quick finish with times of 19:19 and 19:22. Aidan Farrell and Aden Velijacic had a battle over which way is the proper way to spell their name. Aidan Farrell won the battle with a time of 20:47, beating Aden’s time of 20:53. I’m excited to see how this battle of the names continues over the season. Avery Bennett was the next finisher, racing a swift 21:23. The men’s final racer was Daniel Mend, finishing with a quick time of 26:50. Overall, the Men’s team raced very well today, taking 3rd place at the meet.

Overall, the morning was a great success. Both our Women’s and Men’s teams looked very strong, and we had an amazing showing. I’m so excited to see how this season progresses, and more importantly, to see how everyone improves during the season. 

Thank you to everyone who sent me pictures during the meet!

Congratulations to everyone, 

Maxwell Maloney 

Photo Link – I have more photos, but I bought the wrong cord for my camera, so I can’t download them. Once I download them, I’ll put them on the album.

If the North Central College Invitational were a movie, it would be a box office smash — action-packed, full of plot twists, and starring none other than the unstoppable Illinois Track and Field Club! From heart-thumping hurdles to jaw-dropping jumps, this two-day extravaganza in Naperville was nothing short of legendary. Grab your popcorn, because this recap is a full-on highlight reel.

It all kicked off Friday night under the lights with the grueling men’s 3000m steeplechase. Albert Szewczyk and Morgan Frederick came to battle, arriving the night before and sticking together like teammates on a mission. Szewczyk powered through with a time of 10:59.79, followed closely by Frederick at 11:01.67 — a dynamic duo to open the weekend.

Then came the men’s 5000m, where Percy Moser and Ethan Forsell absolutely dominated the field. Moser crossed the line at 15:12.17 with Forsell just a heartbeat behind at 15:14.61. Illinois swept first and second — no big deal, just another day at the office.

Saturday? Oh, Saturday EXPLODED out of the blocks — literally — with the men’s 4x100m relay starting the meet off with a BANGGG!!! The A-team of Tyler Klein, Kevin Saju, Austin Eckels, and Mikhail Blinnik didn’t just win — they SHATTERED A LONGSTANDING CLUB RECORD with a sizzling time of 42.36 seconds. Meanwhile, the B-team brought the heat with a solid 46.89. Not to be outdone, the women’s 4x100m team blazed through their race in 50.03, led by speedsters Lauren Broome, Ninawa Odicho, Nishta Murugan, and Makayla Murrell. 

The men’s 1500m was a masterclass in grit and teamwork. Heat 1 kicked things off with Alan Gu leading an orange-and-blue wave in 4:38.57, followed closely by Gabriel Inojosa (4:45.08) and Nathaniel Lenning (4:49.79), setting the tone with poise and teamwork. In Heat 2, Alex Demas surged into 2nd with a strong 4:31.26, while Heat 3 saw Morgan Frederick and Maxwell Maloney battle shoulder-to-shoulder, with Morgan clocking a gritty 4:20.46. In Heat 5, we saw another Illinois trio, where Alex Herrera (4:16.84), Dakota Amar (4:19.65), and Albert Szewczyk (4:35.29) ran in perfect sync, showcasing not just speed but strategy and heart. James Stanley—with a time of 3:59.69—and Easton Rosen—with a time of 4:01.53—ran like men possessed in Heat 6, finishing 3rd and 5th overall, respectively, while Percy Moser added another stellar performance to his weekend with a 4:07.23. Maxwell Maloney dominated his heat with a win, running a time of 4:11.54! Across all heats, Illinois athletes painted the leaderboard orange and blue.

In the women’s 1500m, Aubrey Channey lit up her heat and claimed 3rd overall with a 4:56.14, igniting a wave of strong performances from teammates! Lenny Sterrit came out with a smooth 5:03.81, while Samantha Anderson dug deep for a solid 5:36.67. Heat 1 was an all-out Illinois showcase, as Annika Luthe crossed in 5:40.55, Lia Tondeva in 5:43.74, and Hannah Madla rounded it out with a determined 6:07.16. Every single one fighting through the finish with power and pride.

Over on the hurdles, Ben Cooper made HISTORY…AGAIN in the men’s 110m high Hurdles by clocking a RECORD-BREAKING 15.17 to grab first place. Christina Jordan repped Illinois in the women’s 100m hurdles with a time of 17.21, while the men’s high hurdles parade continued with a standout run from Matas Carmichael (16.67).

The sprints? Let’s talk fire. The 100m Dash saw Austin Eckels lead the charge with a jaw-dropping 10.92, blazing past the 11-second barrier like it was nothing. Right behind him, Kevin Saju turned up the heat in Heat 13, clocking 11.09 to take the win in his race. Mikhail Blinnik followed with a fast 11.40, and Ben Cooper sprinted through with an 11.88. In the always-electric Heat 3, Ryan Pearlman ran a clean 12.01, just ahead of Will Ashford at 12.23 and Elijah Becker at 12.56. Rounding out the Illinois sprint squad, Sean Hudson finished in 12.77, Tyler West in 12.91, and Dominic Hamad with a strong 13.04. From sub-11 fireworks to packed heats filled with energy, the Illini sprinters made sure the track was sizzling all meet long. 

On the women’s side, the 100m dash continued to be a glittering showcase of speed from Illinois! Lauren Broome smoked her heat with a 12.70 and claimed a spot among the top 10 overall. Right on her heels was Ninawa Odicho, tearing up the track with a sharp 12.76, while Makayla Murrel turned heads in Heat 4, powering through for a heat win at 12.96. Meghan Peirce rounded out the squad with a gritty 16.83, earning a second-place finish in Heat 1. From top-tier finishes to back-to-back heat victories, the Illinois women weren’t just fast — they were fierce.

The 400m dash saw Tyler Klein take care of business, as usual, with a crisp 49.17. On the women’s side, Nishta Murugan kicked off the 400m fireworks by dominating her heat and earning a top-10 finish overall with a bold 1:03.66. Right behind her, Lucca Bibbey cruised to an impressive 1:03.88, while Linna Moore clocked in at 1:06.98 and Shannon Moser finished strong at 1:09.54. Together, this Illinois squad turned the 400m into a statement.

As if that wasn’t enough, the 800m races delivered more drama. Easton Rosen dropped a 1:58.12 and finished in the top 10 overall. Running alongside Rosen were John Burns (2:02.44) and Antony Rizk (2:05.04) to top in a competitive heat. Oh, but we are not finished—Ethan Forsell stole the spotlight in Heat 4, blazing to first in his heat with a 1:59.89, while Dakota Amar followed closely at 2:05.67. Heat 2 was a trio showcase, with Walter Chang (2:08.38), Max Boughner (2:08.96), and Morgan Frederick (2:09.48) running in tight formation. Alex Demas set the tone for the event, kicking things off with a win in Heat 1 at 2:11.61, followed by Nathaniel Lenning at 2:28.59.

In the women’s 800m, Lenny Sterrit (2:23.23) and Ella Chambers (2:24.11) were absolute stars, both finishing in the top six overall. Samantha Anderson battled to a 2:45.16, while Lia Tondeva shined in Heat 2, taking second in her heat with a time of 2:50.85. 

The 400m hurdles turned into an Illinois showcase, opening with a heat featuring only Illinois runners Ryan Fredericks (1:03.77), Alan Gu (1:07.57), and Walter Chang (1:15.04). Coach Carmichael tore through the track with a lightning time of 58.40, earning a top-10 spot overall. Right behind him, Ben Cooper (1:01.91) and James Stanley (1:02.60) kept the momentum strong.

Meanwhile, Lauren Broome flew to FIRST PLACE in 1:06.53, while President Ninawa Odicho (1:10.26) jumped into THIRD in her hurdles debut — and she made it look easy.

The 200m dash turned into a full-blown sprint spectacle as Illinois athletes came out flying, lighting up the track. In the men’s race, Austin Eckels (22.29) and Kevin Saju (22.39) brought the heat in Heat 15. Mikhail Blinnik kept the energy rolling in Heat 14, claiming 2nd with a 22.87, while Matas Carmichael followed with a smooth 23.34 to secure 2nd in Heat 9. The early heats were all Illinois, as Will Ashford kicked things off by winning Heat 1 with a 24.59, and Elijah Becker matched that energy in Heat 2, grabbing first place at 26.05. Ryan Pearlman clocked 24.81 for 2nd in Heat 3, rounding out a men’s crew that came to dominate.

Ninawa Odicho blazed her way to a heat win and a top-10 overall finish with a stellar 26.38. In Heat 7, the Illinois duo of Makayla Murrell (26.67), Nishta Murugan (27.94) brought the thunder, running tight and competitive from the gun. Shannon Moser (29.46) kept great momentum, and to kick things off in Heat 1, Meghan Pierce added her own spark with a solid 34.54. From start to finish, the 200m was a blur of orange and blue — and the Illini made sure every heat belonged to them.

Wrapping up the action on the oval, the 4x400m relays were an Illinois victory parade!! The men’s A-team of Dakota Amar, Ryan Fredericks, Koen Brown, and Antony Rizk ran a solid 3:40.75. The B-team of Tyler West, John Burns, Carter Bailitz, and Max Boughner followed closely at 3:42.03. 

The women’s 4x400m relay was the last to touch the track. The squad of Shannon Moser, Lenny Sterritt, Linna Moore, and Ella Chambers powered through with a time of 4:21.86 — a worthy curtain call for an electric weekend.

Now let’s talk FIELD DOMINANCE!! Christina Jordan won the women’s high jump and BROKE HER OWN RECORD with a height of 1.68m — just your average record-breaker, no big deal. Jack Tolentino flew to new heights as well, clearing 1.70m and owning the high jump runway. In the sand pit, Dominic Hamad and Elijah Becker delivered strong performances in the long jump, landing marks of 5.14m and 4.80m, proving Illinois had serious hang time.

And then came the throwers, bringing the power and precision. Mia Howard was an absolute unit, launching the discus 35.32m and following it up with a 9.19m shot put. Ivy Del Real added to the scoreboard with throws of 25.94m in discus and 8.22m in shot, while Trish Richards held it down with solid marks of 18.43m and 7.06m. 

On the men’s side, Aaron Murray led the charge with massive heaves — 32.30m in the discus and a powerful 10.73m in the shot put. Georgios Avidis wasn’t far behind, putting up an impressive 9.94m in shot and 27.96m in discus. Hayden Lewis showed solid consistency, firing the shot 8.05m and flinging the discus 25.46m with force. Rounding out the powerhouse squad, Sean Hudson kept things rolling with a 6.62m shot put and a massive 31.04m discus throw. From start to finish, the Illinois turned the throws arena into a showcase of strength, skill, and straight-up field dominance!

From the first steeplechase splash to the final 4×4 baton handoff, the North Central Invitational was a celebration of speed, strength, and pure Illinois firepower. Records fell. Heats were dominated. And one thing became clear: the Illinois Track and Field Club didn’t just show up — they showed out.

Club Relays 2025 was a massive success! Both the men and women placed first at our big home meet of the year on 03/01/25. We’re extremely proud of all our athletes for coming out and giving it their best! First off, a huge shout out to our home meet coordinator Alex Herrera – thanks to all his hard work this meet finished earlier than ever!  

To kick off the Women’s 60m Hurdles, Ari Afolabi dominated the race, crossing the finish line with a fantastic 9.09, showcasing her speed and skill. Lauren Broome followed closely with a solid 9.64, displaying excellent form and determination. Christine Jordan finished with a competitive 10.34, showing resilience and effort in the hurdles.

The Men’s 60m hurdles was another highlight of the day, with Ben Cooper leading the charge, not only taking first place with an impressive 8.51 but also setting a meet record! Matas Carmichael followed with a solid 9.26, demonstrating great speed and technique over the hurdles. Andrew McLauchlan was close behind, finishing with a competitive 9.40, showing strong form and determination throughout the race.

The Women’s 60m race was another thrilling event, with impressive performances across the board. Melissa Aninagyei-Bonsu led the way with a solid 7.91, closely followed by Ari Afolabi at 7.98, both showcasing speed and determination. President Ninawa Odicho came in with an impressive 8.15, demonstrating strong form and effort. Brooke Bouwens finished with a competitive 8.45, while Christina Li and Yelim Na crossed the line at 9.07 and 9.19, respectively, showing resilience and focus throughout the race.

We had a great turnout in the Men’s 60m! Tyler Klein kicked things off with an impressive 6.92, setting the pace with a dominant performance, while Austin Eckel followed with a strong 7.11, showing his speed and competitive spirit. Mikhail Blinnik ran a solid 7.35, closely followed by Nic Soto at 7.38, both showcasing great form and consistent effort. John Green crossed the line at 7.43, while Darryl Boston finished with a competitive 7.48, each demonstrating their strength and drive! What an exciting race!

Ben Cooper led the next group with a time of 7.54, closely followed by Salvatore Sgro at 7.58, both displaying exceptional speed and determination. Matas Carmichael finished with 7.65, while Marcus Scott clocked in at 7.71, showing strong competitiveness and form. Ryan Pearlman ran 7.82, demonstrating consistent effort, and Jack Tolentino came in at 7.98, giving a strong performance despite tough competition. Isaiah Ju finished with 8.06, showing great potential, while Elijah Becker crossed the line in 8.12, continuing to push forward. Sean Hudson completed the race in 8.35, exhibiting determination and growth in the event. What a fantastic showing from all the athletes!

The women’s 4x800m relay team of Bridget Brokaw, Ella Chambers, Brooke Silbernagel, and Lenny Sterritt blew away the competition, capturing first place with an incredible time of 10:06.93! They were followed by the team of Reiss Christensen, Evelyn Rowan, Christina Li, and Fatima Siddiqui, who delivered an impressive performance, finishing with a time of 11:34.34!

The men’s 4x800m relay team of Thomas Harmon, Easton Rosen, Henry Hornbrook, and Max Maloney dominated the race, claiming first place and a new club relays record with an impressive time of 7:51.13, while the team of Dakota Amar, John Burns, Antony Rizk, and Zach Coren finished strong with a time of 8:25.04!

Huge shout out to our 4x200m relay squad of Ninawa Odicho, Lauren Broome, Makayla Murrell, and Ari Afolabi, who electrified the track, securing first place and setting a new club relay record with a blazing time of 1:45.55! We also had a great performance from Nishta Murugan, Lucca Bibbey, Linna Moore, and Claire-Michelle Sweet, powering through to finish with an impressive time of 1:57.81, while Brooke Silbernagel, Lenny Sterritt, Anna Jablonski, and Anna Zlatic wrapped up with a solid finish at 2:03.82!

The 4x200m relay team of Kevin Saju, Mikhail Blinnik, Austin Eckels, and Tyler Klein blasted to first place with an outstanding time of 1:31.05, while Darryl Boston Jr, Andrew Mclauchlan, Matas Carmichael, and Henry Martinez followed closely behind with a solid 1:37.67. Koen Brown, Salvatore Sgro, Tyler Vizgirda, and Ryan Fredericks pushed through with a time of 1:39.94, and Elijah Becker, Jaejin Lee, Tyler West, and Marcus Scott finished strong at 1:43.56. Finally, Carter Bailitz, Ryan Pearlman, Brandon Perruquet, and Manu Shankar rounded out the competition with a time of 1:45.02!

In the women’s 3000m, Claire Casiello raced to a stellar finish with a time of 10:47.51, while Avery Minni followed up with a strong performance at 11:34.51. Anna Zlatic crossed the line at 11:54.89, with Annika Luthe finishing in 12:16.68. Sophia Libman clocked in at 12:21.78, closely followed by Suhani Permanu at 12:22.65, and Mira Bhimani wrapped up the race with a time of 13:19.85.

The men’s 3000m, Ethan Forsell finished with a great time of 8:39.09, followed by Percy Moser at 8:40.93, and Albert Szewczyk at 8:58.07. Max Henige clocked in at 9:04.91, with Sam Lambert finishing at 9:16.78 and Morgan Frederick at 9:19.48. Brendan Jones recorded a time of 9:19.83, while Brendan Graven finished at 10:00.06, and Max Boughner completed the race in 10:24.36.

In the women’s 1600m SMR, the team of Ari Afolabi, Lauren Broome, Ninawa Odicho, and Lenny Sterritt set a new club record with an impressive time of 4:16.59, while the team of Lucca Bibbey, Nishta Murugan, Araxi Boghossian, and Christina Li finished at 4:52.99. The team of Meghan Pierce, Claire-Michelle Sweet, Zuzana Bielak, and London Maxwell wrapped up with a time of 5:10.99.

The men’s 1600m SMR team of Kevin Saju, Mikhail Blinnik, Henry Hornbrook, and Thomas Harmon took first place with an outstanding time of 3:35.66, while the team of Darryl Boston Jr, Koen Brown, Luke Nelson, and John Burns finished at 3:47.59. Ryan Pearlman, Jaejin Lee, Brandon Hernandez-Villalobos, and Ryan Fredericks crossed the line at 4:00.71, while Dominic Hamad, Matas Carmichael, Marcus Scott, and Alan Gu completed the race in 4:06.21.

Great work in the women’s 1600m where Ella Chambers led the group with a time of 5:16.76, followed by Lenny Sterritt at 5:32.37 and Samantha Anderson at 5:54.35. Evelyn Rowan clocked in at 5:55.82, while Jennifer Ruiz finished at 6:13.76. Lia Tondeva completed the race in 6:16.02, and Reiss Christensen crossed the line at 6:33.44, just ahead of London Maxwell at 6:33.45.

On to the men’s 1600m, where James Stanley soared to first place with an incredible time of 4:22.00, just ahead of Easton Rosen, who finished a strong second at 4:22.93! Simon Hildy powered through to clock 4:27.81, while Max Maloney wasn’t far behind with a time of 4:30.02. Alex Herrera made an impressive push to finish at 4:37.18, and Antony Rizk crossed the line at 4:41.08. Zach Coren ran hard to record 4:45.90, followed closely by Jensen Bidmead at 4:46.20 and Walter Chang at 4:47.84! The race wrapped up with Jon Wool finishing at 4:48.68, and Alex Demas coming in at 4:49.54. What an exciting race from start to finish!

Extremely proud of our women’s 4x400m team with Araxi Boghossian, Lucca Bibbey, Ninawa Odicho, and Bridget Brokaw took placed first with an impressive time of 4:09.74! For the last official race of the day our men’s 4x400m team Kevin Saju, Tyler Klein, Thomas Harmon, and Luke Nelson dominated the relay with a winning time of 3:27.11!

Time for the field events! Great day for the women’s shot put, Mia Howard recorded a throw of 10.01m a personal best and club record! This was followed by impressive throws from Patricia Richards at 8.33m and Ivy Del Real at 8.09m.

In the men’s shot put, Jeffery Lefkovitz powered through with an impressive throw of 10.91m, followed closely by Georgios Avdis at 9.98m and Aaron Murray at 9.91m! Quinn Rivara unleashed a solid 9.16m, while Hayden Lewis fired off 8.50m. Sean Hudson launched a strong 7.93m, and Evan Lin capped it off with a throw of 7.59m! What a fantastic showing from the team!

Amazing performances in the women’s long jump, Melissa Aninagyei-Bonsu took first place with an impressive jump of 5.28m, followed by Rachel Schaaf at 5.07m. Isabella Brunke recorded a jump of 4.66m, while Brooke Bouwens landed at 4.48m. Yelim Na finished with a jump of 4.17m. 

In the men’s long jump, pulling through with another first place win Tyler Klein leaped to an impressive 6.52m, followed by John Green at 6.29m and Dhruv Saggi at 6.09m. Manu Shankar recorded a jump of 5.72m, while Ben Cooper landed at 5.65m. Jaejin Lee finished with a jump of 5.40m, and Edison Zhu made a jump of 5.20m. Salvatore Sgro and Jack Tolentino both recorded 5.11m, while Elijah Becker completed the event with a jump of 4.06m. 

Exciting performance in the women’s high jump, Christina Jordan of University of Illinois Club soared to first place with an impressive 1.55m, while both Isabella Brunke and Gwen Bottom jumped to 1.40m, great performances!

In the men’s high jump, Tyler Klein and Jack Tolentino both cleared 1.75m with fantastic performances! Nic Soto also jumped 1.65m, showing a great effort as well.

Next up, the women’s triple jump, Melissa Aninagyei-Bonsu of University of Illinois Club took first place with an impressive jump of 11.23m, while Makayla Murrell followed closely with a strong 10.19m! 

Finally, last but not least, the men’s triple jump! Manu Shankar with an impressive 12.41m, followed closely by Tyler Klein at 12.38m! Henry Martinez finished strong with 12.11m, while Carter Bailitz leaped to 11.72m. Andrew Mclauchlan recorded 11.67m, and Edison Zhu completed the jump at 10.66m.

Once again we are super proud of all our athletes and all their hard work! We can’t wait for next year!

For the first meet of 2025 we found ourselves in Springfield, Illinois at Illinois College for the Snow Bird Invite on Saturday, 01/25.

The first event on the track was the Men’s 60m Dash which Tyler Klein won in valiant fashion with the only sub 7 second times in both prelims and finals. Winning the finals with a spectacular time of 6.92. Next up was Darryl Boston with a speedy time of 7.55. Tyler West followed close behind with a time of 8.27 and Sean Hudson at 8.43.

The Women’s 60m Dash did not disappoint! Our Hurdles Coach, Ari Afolabi, finished in the top ten with a time of 8.20. Madame President Ninawa Odicho came out strong with an 8.32. 

We had a very strong showing from the Women in the 60m Hurdles today. Ari Afolabi took the dub with a very impressive 9.26 in prelims and 9.32 in finals. Making her ITFC debut and qualifying for the finals was Lauren Broome who made a statement by running 10.00 in prelims. Rounding out the squad was High Jump Coach Christina Jordan who ran a 12.11.

Once again, Tyler Klein won a sprinting event (big surprise). With an impressive time of 22.42 he won the 200m Dash! Following suit was yet another Tyler, Tyler Vizgirda with a strong start to his season with a performance of 24.51. Our Head Coach Ryan Fredericks finished next in a time of 25.53. Henry Hornbrook (AKA Hank the Tank) decided to give sprinting a try today and ran the 200 in a 25.94. Rounding out the men’s 200s came Tyler West and Sean Hudson with strong performances who ran 28.39 and 28.53 respectively.

With an impressive 7th place finish, Ninawa Odicho ran the 200 in a time of 27.09. Good friends, Lauren Broome and Nishta Murugan both ran strong 200s and almost went sub 28 with times of 28.12 and 28.37 respectively. In her ITFC debut, Araxi Boghossian ran a good race finishing with a time of 29.02.

Rounding out his sprint double, Henry Hornbrook was our only finisher in the 400m Dash with a time of 55.85.

As expected Ninawa Odicho started her 400m season with a strong 3rd place finish running a time of 1:02.01. Making her ITFC debut in a tough race was Shannon Moser who ran an impressive race finishing in a time of 1:09.76.

Our top finisher in the Men’s 800m Run was Sprints Coach Koen Brown with a time of 2:13.92. He was followed closely behind by Max Boughner who started his season off strong with a time of 2:16.55. Next up was Darryl Boston and Jason Yang who logged times of 2:22.75 and 2:23.15 respectively.

With a 6th place finish in the Women’s 800m Run our Mid-Distance Coach, Ella Chambers, ran the 800m in a time of 2:29.58. Right behind her in 10th was Brooke Silbernagel with a 2:37.10 performance. 

Placing 5th in the Men’s Mile was James Stanley who ran a quick race with a time of 4:27.49. Finishing next was Max Maloney who ran the mile in 4:41.92. Close behind him was Zach Coren who finished in 4:43.78. Next up was our Mid-Distance Coach Antony Rizk with a time of 4:48.75. Walter Chang recorded an impressive time of 4:56.48. Alex Demas ran yet another good time finishing in 5:00.22. Rounding out that distance squad was Nathaniel Lenning who finished in a time of 5:31.04.

With a very impressive performance in an awesome race was our very own Travel Coordinator Bridget Brokaw who placed 3rd in the Women’s Mile with a PR of 5:23.73! 

Finishing 4th in the Men’s 3000m run was Easton Rosen with a very speedy time of 9:00.39. Behind him was Albert Szewczyk who finished in 9:18.25. Powering through the tough indoor 3000m, Morgan Frederick and Quinn Born finished with good times of 9:39.42 and 9:44.28 respectively. Finishing it up for us was Alex Demas who recorded a time of 10:14.95.

With a dominant win in the Women’s 3000m, Claire Casiello led the entire race and finished with a very quick time of 10:59.79! Running with her was Anna Zlatic who ran a strong race in 11:54.80.

With two teams in the Men’s DMR ITFC had a strong showing with the Braden Cardamone, Easton Rosen, Ethan Forsell, and Simon Hildy team coming in second with a time of 10:55.28. In 4th was the Walter Cheng, Albert Szewczyk, Morgan Frederick, and Max Boughner team who finished in 11:19.53.

Men’s Shot Put saw some very strong performances. Leading our group was Quinn Rivara with a throw of 9.14m. Closely behind him was Sean Hudson with a toss of 8.70m. Rounding out the group was Hayden Lewis with a heave of 8.31m.

Women’s Shot Put was led off with an impressive performance by Mia Howard with a big throw of 9.91m. She was followed by Throws Coach Ivy Del Real who had a strong showing with a throw of 7.56m. Making her ITFC debut, Patricia Richards had a very respectable toss of 7.04m.

Women’s High Jump did not disappoint with two top ten performances. In 6th place was Gwen Bottom with a jump of 1.45m. And in 9th was our Long Jump Coach Bella Brunke with an impressive jump of 1.40m.

With a 5th place finish in the Men’s 4x400m Relay, Simon Hildy, James Stanley, Antony Rizk, and Max Maloney recorded a strong time of 3:39.36. Right behind them was a strong squad of Ryan Fredericks, Tyler Vizgirda, Zach Coren, and Koen Brown who ran a time of 3:48.09.

With two top 5 finishes our Women’s 4x400m Relays were dominant. In 3rd, Ninawa Odicho, Araxi Boghossian, Nishta Murugan, and Shannon Moser ran a fast 4:26.84. And in 5th, Bridget Brokaw, Anna Zlatic, Claire Casiello, and Brooke Silbernagel logged a speedy 4:27.58.

All of our athletes started off the year strong at this meet whether they set a new PR or shook off all that rust from a cold winter break. We’re ready for our next meet in two weeks!

Today is a great day. Do you want to know why? Not only is the sun shining and the birds chirping, but we have officially started the 2024-2025 Track Season! I know you all have been waiting months for track season to start again, so I can officially pronounce, it’s Track Time!

Once again, My name is Adam, and I’ll be your webmaster extraordinaire throughout this season. You may remember me from last season, but I’m back and better than ever to help share all the excitement of this upcoming season!

We started it off with a bang at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois for the Titan First Chance Meet on Saturday, 12/7. Now enough said, let’s get into the events!

We’ll kick things off with the sprint events, starting with the Men’s 60m Dash. What can I say? It is only the first meet of the year, and the incredible Tyler Klein has already won his first meet. His time of 6.93 put him in 2nd place in the prelims, where he went on to improve on his time to drop a 6.87 in the finals, securing him an amazing 1st place finish overall, congrats! Close behind was Austin Eckels, whose time of 7.08 placed him in second place in his heat, and brought him to a 10th place finish overall! Andrew Mclauchlan made his club debut with a speedy time of 7.47, a great start to the season. Veteran Matas Carmichael showed he’s going to be a formidable foe this season with a time of 7.65. Head Coach Ryan Fredericks took a break from the mid-distance to run a shorter distance, coming in at a 7.72. In a race for the ages, our next three athletes all finished within 0.07 seconds of each other, Ryan Pearlman led the pack with a 7.75, followed behind by Roel Boon with a 7.76, and Kamil Kotarski closed out the pack of great times with a 7.82. Edison Zhu wasn’t far behind, coming in with a speedy time of 7.91 to start the season. To close it out, no better way than to end with a tie, with both Tyler West and Sean Hudson running an awesome 8.22 to get things started.

No track meet would be complete without a hurdles event, especially the 60m Hurdles! Matas Carmichael led us in this event with an awesome time of 9.38, a great way to start the season, and an easy 10th-place finish overall! Kamil Kotarski wasn’t far behind, coming in with a speedy 9.64 to get things started. 

Increasing the distance a bit, it’s 200m time! On the women’s side, Vicky Klein Gebbink set down the handball and picked up spikes to make her track and field debut running a speedy 29.38 during her first-ever track meet!

On the men’s side, it was again Tyler Klein leading the pack, with an incredible time of 21.93 to earn him a 2nd place overall finish, what can’t he do? Austin Eckels had a great race to kick things off, running a speedy 23.08 to claim 1st place in his heat and 5th place overall. So, in a fun twist of fate, all Illinois runners except for TK raced against each other in 2 entirely Illinois heats, providing a great level of friendly competition among the athletes. Coming close behind Austin in that first ITFC heat were Darryl Boston Jr, taking a break from his awesome Instagram takeover to drop a 24.09 for his club debut, and Ryan Fredericks close behind, coming in at a 24.45. Roel Boon led the second ITFC heat to victory with his great time of 24.90 to start the season. Kamil Kotarski was right on his tail, coming in at a super 25.39. Salvatore Sgro closed out the first ITFC heat with a great time of 25.97 to put his mark on his club debut. Arjun Appel was up next in the second heat, with an awesome time of 27.04. Sean Hudson was close behind, coming in at a speedy 28.15 to get his season off to a great start. Tyler West closed it out for us, running a 28.75 to mark a successful club debut!

In an indoor track classic fashion, it was time for the 300m race. Matas Carmichael was the only one brave enough to race it on the men’s side, running a great time of 38.20.

Keeping with the sprints brings us to the Women’s 600m dash. Lenny Sterritt made a big splash for her club debut, running a time of 1:50.22 to score her 4th place overall!

The men’s side did not disappoint, with a few incredible races. Henry Hornbrook kicked off his season with an awesome time of 1:27.57, winning his heat by 0.3 seconds and coming in for a 1st place overall finish, wow! Max Boughner also had a great race, running a time of 1:35.90 to win his heat and come in 7th place overall! Jason Yang wrapped up these awesome performances with a speedy time of 1:42.88 for a great mark in his first track meet!

Let’s turn the distance up a notch with the Women’s 1-mile run! Following her impressive 600m performance, Lenny Sterritt brought the heat again, destroying the competition with a time of 5:41.68 to claim 1st place overall, more than 8 seconds in front of second place, wow!

Keeping with the trend of Illini Domination, it was Maxwell Maloney, making his club track debut to run an incredible 4:36.30 to easily win his heat and come 1st place overall, Congrats! Fundraising Coordinator Extraordinaire Dakota Amar was not far behind, running a 4:38.12 to kick off his season, easily grabbing a 3rd-place finish! Morgan Frederick kept up the trend of dominant season openers with a time of 4:47.13, speedy enough to claim a 6th-place finish! Max Boughner closed it out for us, running an awesome time of 5:02.91.

The only brave soul, Laurits Stoffers was the sole Illini in the Men’s 3000m run, but that didn’t stop him from having a great race, running an 11:49.32 to start the season strong!

It’s relay time! For the men’s 4x400m relay, it was Darryl Boston Jr, Henry Hornbrook, Roel Boon, and Ryan Fredericks, running a great time of 3:38.48 to get a 4th place finish!

Hippity hoppoty, it’s jump time! For the men’s High Jump, Laurits Stoffers had an amazing day, setting a big PR of 1.75m (5’ 8.75”) to kick off the season! In the men’s Long Jump, Edison Zhu made his mark with a great jump of 5.41m (17’ 9”) for his club debut! In the men’s triple jump, Andrew Mclauchlan leaped to an amazing 12.05m (39’ 6.5”) for a strong start to the season, with Edison Zhu close behind with an awesome jump of 10.79m (35’ 5”)

Last, but certainly not least, it’s throwing time! In the women’s shot put, Ivy Del Real showed off her skills with an impressive throw of 8.98m (29’ 5”), starting the season off with a PR! 

On the men’s side, Georgios Avdis led the squad with an incredible throw of 9.78m (32’ 1”) to kick off the series of great performances! Next up was Sean Hudson, with an impressive throw of 8.60m (28’ 2.75”). Closing it out was Hayden Lewis, who had a great throw of 8.41m (27’ 7.25”) to get the season started!

Well, that about wraps up this meet. Although it had a smaller group of athletes competing, we still had many incredible performances and awesome ways to start off the season. Sadly we now head off to winter break, and won’t compete again for another month or so. Our next meet will resume in mid-January, feel free to check out the Instagram in the meantime for updates!

That’s going to be all for now, Have a happy and safe holiday!

Until next time,

I-L-L!

Meet Results: https://www.tfrrs.org/results/88039/IWU_Titan_First_Chance