The men’s cross country team placed ninth at the 2019 NCAA Midwest Regional Championship meet with a score of 270 Friday.

Illinois faced off against 31 teams at this meet for a chance to qualify for the NCAA Championships. The top-two teams from each of the nine regions will automatically be eligible, and 13 more team spots were at stake.

From individuals on teams that didn’t qualify, the top four finishers from each region are automatically selected and two more athletes that finished in the top 25.

At the regional competition, Illinois faced off against the regionally ranked opponents in their conference, No. 6 Nebraska, No. 7 Minnesota and No. 9 Iowa. 

Sophomore Irwin Loud placed 16th place with a time of 31:17.3 and was the first to cross the finish line for the men’s team for the sixth consecutive race.

Loud received All-Region honors for all he has done this season, which was the first Midwest All-Region accolade of his career.

Senior Zach Dale placed 33rd with a time of 31.45.1, and junior Jack Lalonde followed in 55th place with a time of 32:13.0.

This playoff meet had the men running a 10k race instead of the usual 8k race, which is nearly one more mile than what they have been running the rest of the season.

Sophomore Logan Hall came in 79th place with a time of 32:38, and the fifth scorer for Illinois, freshman Jack Roberts, finished in 86th place with a time of 32:43.8.

Sophomore Colin Yandel also ran for Illinois and finished 101st with a time of 32:57.5. Freshman Michael Madiol was the last runner for Illinois and finished 105th with a time of 33:40.3.

The men’s team last won the Midwest Regional Championship in 1976, and last year was the last time an Illinois runner, Billy Magnesen, who placed 22nd overall, achieved All-Region honors.

The teams that qualify for the NCAA Championships will run another 10k race on Nov. 23 at Indiana State.

[email protected]