MACOMB -- The Western Illinois Cross Country teams raced in Peoria for the 19th running of the Bradley Pink Classic this past Friday. Rain was in the forecast the entire day leading up to the meet, leaving the course soft and muddy come race time. The women led the charge, taking second place as a team in the "White" 6K race. The pack was led by two freshmen in Meg Simmons and Lydia Bennett, followed closely by Aylana Cezar. Newcomers Denise Dominguez and Hannah Steinmeyer rounded out the top 5 scoring positions. 

"I was pleased with how our women's team competed today. With the exception of just a few individuals, everyone ran a personal best time. We had three freshmen in the top-5 for the team, which was great to see," coach Trey Brokaw said . "Those freshmen have put in a lot more volume since high school and it's paying big dividends. If our upperclassmen can compete as hard as the freshmen did today, we will have a very good team performance at conference in two weeks."

The men placed 23rd overall in the premier "Red" 8K race. Logan Lommel continued to lead the way for the Leathernecks, crossing the finish line in 40th place overall. Robert Perry and Logan Beckmeier followed ensuite, while Isaiah Mooreman and Sean Hudspath rounded out the top five scoring positions. 

"On the men's side, we really lost focus and didn't do as well as we were capable of. The field was talented but we seemed to shrink back from the fight," says coach Brokaw. "The men are fit and have put in some great work, but they need to execute significantly better in two weeks if we will have a chance to place top-3 as a team. Our stars have to run like stars and we need more reliable depth."

Next Up:

The Ohio Valley Conference Championships will be held on October 28th 2023 in Morehead, Kentucky.