The UIS men's cross country team delivered an outstanding performance at the Hy-Vee Prairie Stars Invitational, finishing in first place as a team and showcasing impressive depth across their lineup in their season opener.
Race Recap
- UIS runners took eight of the top 12 individual spots, amassing a total of 21 points to secure the team title
- Newcomer Isaac Cortes led the way for UIS, finishing in 2nd place overall with a time of 21:53.11 for 7K
- Not far behind was Briar Nevills, who crossed the line in 4th place with a time of 21:57.81. Zach Panek (5th, 22:02.68), Brock Loftus (6th, 22:04.48), and Ryan Jones (8th, 22:10.04) rounded out the top finishers, giving the Prairie Stars a commanding team performance
- The Prairie Stars defeated conference opponents including Missouri-St. Louis, Truman State, and Maryville
- The scoring UIS runners had a 17-second spread
Results
| Student-Athlete | Result | Place |
| Isaac Cortes | 21:53.11 | 2 |
| Briar Nevills | 21:57.81 | 4 |
| Zach Panek | 22:02.68 | 5 |
| Brock Loftus | 22:04.48 | 6 |
| Ryan Jones | 22:10.04 | 8 |
| Brendan Cairney | 22:16.57 | 10 |
| Nathan DeMarb | 22:31.32 | 11 |
| Balin Doud | 22:34.07 | 12 |
| Joey Karlesky | 22:38.93 | 15 |
| Matt Padilla | 22:52.22 | 21 |
| Aidan Donohue | 22:55.55 | 22 |
| Daniel Giacomini | 22:56.13 | 23 |
| Finn Loken | 23:02.39 | 27 |
| Dom Cantarini | 23:09.52 | 30 |
| Gabe Martinez | 23:23.69 | 35 |
| Garrett Wagoner | 23:52.28 | 53 |
| Lucas Naugle | 24:05.38 | 60 |
| Ayden Groves | 24:23.69 | 72 |
| Carson Cowling | 24:55.99 | 83 |
Up Next
UIS will compete next at Indiana State's John McNichols Invitational in Terre Haute Ind. on Sept. 21.