IMAGE COURTESY OF REDBIRD ATHLETICS

NORMAL, Ill. – Following the Bradley Pink Classic and the Missouri Valley Championships, the men’s and women’s Redbird cross country teams look to fly into Stillwater, Oklahoma, for NCAA Regionals. The team has performed beyond expectations with a new young core of runners following the departure and graduation of several key runners for both teams last year.

At the Bradley Pink Classic, the field for both the men’s and women’s teams included over 20 teams, and the Redbirds came out well both finishing 6^th respectively in their races. The women’s race was highlighted by standout Heartland Community College transfer Nora Brady, who broke the school record in the women’s 6k.  The record had previously been set by graduate Mattison Plummer the year prior in the MVC championships. Brady would beat Plummers’ time by 2 seconds, finishing with 20:38.89.

Following the Pink Classic, the teams geared up for the Missouri Valley championships. The men’s team would finish fourth, and the women’s team would finish third. The women’s side faced tough competition from a very good Bradley team, but despite that, Nora Brady would finish seventh and be named to the Women’s All Valley team and the Women’s Elite 18, while Pauline Schedler would be named a Women’s All Valley Honorable Mention after finishing twelfth. On the men’s side, Julian Baker would be named to the All-Valley team following a ninth-place finish.

Following an eclectic end to the regular season and start of championship season, the teams gear up and prepare for the NCAA Regional Race held in Stillwater water Oklahoma. Head coach Jeff Bovee spoke about the coming weeks, “this race [NCAA Regionals] and the next one [NCAA Championships] really define our season.”

Bovee continued by speaking on the mental preparation of the team and how the team has turned around quickly ahead of difficult practices. “ When you prepare and plan and train and think about all [of] the things you’ve been doing for months and then you go and do the thing, it takes a little time to regroup.”

“Although they [the team] bounced back Tuesday, we had a really hard training session. Honestly, both teams looked as good as we’ve ever been coming back [from MVC’s]. First workout back after such a big meet… and looked pretty sharp. Yet, not everybody was necessarily at the same level.”

Coach Bovee spoke on the competition that the Redbirds will be facing come NCAA regionals. “… [it will be] a little bit more challenging because now, instead of [a conference meet with] 90 runners, the regional championship [there will be] 300 and something. The Midwest region is one of the best regions in the whole NCAA.”

Coach Bovee concluded with a message to Illinois State cross country fans on the development of the team and asked for continued support through the finale of the season. “Keep supporting the birds. I think we’re going to improve this week, [we] have a lot of consistency in our top five. Maybe we get a new person that [places] 6 [or] 7, and that would be fantastic. Just keep an eye on the birds. We’re young this year, but the future looks really good.”

The Illinois State men’s and women’s teams tow the line next at the NCAA regional on November 14^th in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

For all things Redbird cross-country, stay tuned to WZND.

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