The Illinois Springfield men's cross country team achieved a strong third-place finish at the GLVC Championship on Saturday morning, showcasing the program's depth with five runners in the top 25. This performance marks the team's seventh consecutive season securing a top-three spot at the league championship.
Championship Recap- Isaac Cortes led the charge with an impressive 8th-place finish, clocking in at 24:36 for an All-GLVC finish
- Close behind, senior Briar Nevills crossed the line in 11th at 24:42, marking his second All-GLVC honor
- Sophomore Joey Karlesky followed in 15th with a time of 24:49, earning his first career all-conference accolade
- Senior Noah Tegeler was right behind in 16th at 24:49, achieving All-GLVC honors for the second time in his career as a Prairie Star and his first for cross country
- Rounding out the top five for UIS, sophomore Balin Doud finished 21st with a time of 24:53, just outside of All-GLVC standing in his first 8k race of the season
- Dom Cantarini finished 30th overall, standing out as the top freshman at the meet and therefore earning the GLVC Freshman of the Year award for his performance
- The lineup placed them solidly in third behind Lewis and Drury, confirming their standing as one of the GLVC's top teams
- The Lewis Flyers took the team title, led by individual champion Evan Horgan, who crossed the finish line first with a time of 23:23
| Place (Points) | Student-Athlete | Result (8k) |
| 8 (8) | Isaac Cortes | 24:36 |
| 11 (11) | Briar Nevills | 24:42 |
| 15 (15) | Joey Karlesky | 24:49 |
| 16 (16) | Noah Tegeler | 24:49 |
| 21 (20) | Balin Doud | 24:53 |
| 24 (22) | Matt Padilla | 24:57 |
| 25 (23) | Brock Loftus | 24:57 |
| 26 | Ryan Jones | 25:00 |
| 30 | Dom Cantarini | 25:13 |
| 34 | Aidan Donohue | 25:23 |
| 39 | Nathan DeMarb | 25:29 |
| 45 | Brendan Cairney | 25:40 |
| 50 | Gabe Martinez | 25:45 |
| 62 | Dylan Howell | 26:02 |
| 63 | Daniel Giacomini | 26:02 |
| 67 | Finn Loken | 26:12 |
| 71 | Zach Panek | 26:19 |
| 116 | Garrett Wagoner | 27:13 |
| 126 | Lucas Naugle | 27:29 |
| 129 | DJ Dutton | 27:33 |
| 152 | Carson Cowling | 29:02 |
| 164 | Ayden Groves | 30:45 |
Up Next
This performance gave UIS a strong start to the postseason, highlighted by personal bests and standout finishes, as the Prairie Stars set their sights on the upcoming regional competition. The Prairie Stars are set to compete at the NCAA DII Midwest Regional Championship on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Lewis Cross Country Course in Romeoville, Ill., aiming to build on their momentum from the conference meet.