NORMAL, Ill.- In the first event of the season for much of the Illinois State cross country squads, both the women's and men's team claim first at their annual home meet.
Opening the afternoon with the women's side of the race, the Redbirds scored 44 team points, in front of Wartburg (59), Northern Iowa (59), Eastern Illinois (99), and Southern Illinois (109).
Claire Fuhlhage was the top Redbird finisher, as the graduate student covered the 6,000-meters in a time of 21:41.80 – the best collegiate 6,000-meter race of her career as she placed second overall. Lauren Schulze was just behind her taking fourth with a time of 22:03.00. Junior Mattison Plummer claimed 10th with a time of 22:21.40 giving three runners inside the top-10. Freshman Grace Erb placing 11th in her second collegiate race with a time of 22:22.40 and rounding out the top-5 for the Redbird women is junior Vivianna Sanfilippo with 22:35.90 and a 17th place finish.
On the men's side the Redbirds place first with a final score of 48, finishing behind the Redbirds were UIC (66), Wartburg (67), Valparaiso (135), Southern Illinois (139), and Eastern Illinois (140).
Junior Zack Loomis led the way for the Redbirds, placing second in a time of 24:30.90 for the 8,000-meters, while junior Mathis Chavand took second among ISU runners with a time of 24:33.90 and an overall place with third. Senior Charlie Wetzel claimed 14th with a time of 25:03.10 with freshman Dylan Myers taking 16th with a time of 25:03.10. Rounding out the top-5 finishers is senior Baptiste Tardiveau with a time of 25:16.20 and a 21st place finish.
After taking next weekend off, ISU will head to Chicago, Illinois to compete in the Loyola Lakefront, hosted by the University of Loyola on September 29th at 9:00 a.m. CT.
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