NORMAL, Ill. – Returning to action for the first time since the ISU Invite on Sept. 14, the Illinois State men's and women's cross country teams will face their biggest test of the young season Friday when they travel to South Bend, Indiana, to compete in Notre Dame's 63rd annual Joe Piane Invitational.
The Redbird men have earned a spot in the seeded 5 mile Blue Race, which is scheduled for 12:45 p.m. CT at the Burke Golf Course. As schools are limited to the number of athletes that can be entered in the team races, ISU will also have several men race in the 5 mile Open Division at 1:30 p.m. CT. The Illinois State women will compete in the 5K Gold Race at 2:15 p.m. CT.
The field for the men's 5 mile Blue Race features 17 teams, every single one of which is ranked in their respective regions by the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches' Association (USTFCCCA). Two squads are also ranked nationally, including No. 2 BYU and No. 28 Furman.
Illinois State, who is currently ranked eighth in the Midwest Region (ISU's highest regional ranking in program history), will have the opportunity to move further up the USTFCCCA charts this weekend, racing against a field full of depth.
The last time out, the Redbird men won the annual Illinois State Invite, defeating Division III perennial powerhouse North Central and SEC foe Missouri, among others. Kevin Koski, Cody Baele, and Jack Anstey guided ISU to victory, placing fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively, and all capturing 8K personal-records. Kyle Mattes and Lucas Capistrant rounded out the top-five for the 'Birds.
These five Redbirds, along with Kimathi Johnson, Jake Gillum, and Brett Haffner, will compete in the 5 mile Blue Race Friday. Matt Blanco, Ethan Kirk, Timothy Stevenson, and Thomas Thornton will race in the 5 mile Open Division.
The Redbird women are up for a challenge of their own in the sixteen-team 5K Gold Race, which includes SEC opponent South Carolina and in-state rival Eastern Illinois. Illinois State defeated the Panthers in their last outing at the ISU Invite en route to a third-place finish on their home course.
Leading the 'Birds at the ISU Invite was Rachel Hickey, who was the first Redbird to cross the finish line and posted a top-10 finish. All five of the Illinois State scorers placed in the top-25, with Kennidi Knoblock finishing 16th, Phoebe Clowser 20th, Audrey Janik 21st, and Annie Moore 22nd. This group of Redbird women, along with Lesly Rocha and Kassye Todd, will be back in action Friday.
Admission to the Joe Piane Invitational is free. For those who cannot make it to South Bend for the meet, live results will be provided by Endurance Race Timing. Action of the race can also be followed on Twitter via @Redbird_TrackXC and on GoRedbirds.com following the conclusion of the meet.
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