Illinois cross country season ends after Jon Davis falls short of finish line at NCAA Championships

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Photo courtesy of Illini Athletics

Runner Jon Davis takes the lead at the NCAA Midwest Regionals in Iowa on Nov. 12. Davis was the only runner on the team to advance to the NCAA Championships.

By Renato Arteaga, Staff Writer

Graduate student Jon Davis’ season came to a close at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee, Florida on Saturday.

The Oakwood native was the only Illini that advanced to the championship round, but he was unable to finish the race.

Davis was entering his final postseason on a scorching hot streak after finishing third at the Big Ten Championships and coming in second at the NCAA Midwest Regional.

This appearance marked his third time at the NCAA Championships meet.

The men’s cross country program will be undergoing some major changes this offseason with Davis’s upcoming exit.

The long tenured veteran is leaving behind a team that has made big strides in developments with the rise of sophomore Tyler Cushing and freshman Nicolas Dovalovsky.

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The women’s team missed an opportunity to advance to the NCAA Championships for a third year in a row after placing fifth overall at this year’s NCAA Midwest Regional meet.

Similar to the men’s team, a lot of upperclassmen familiar faces will be leaving the women’s team including graduate students Rebecca Craddock and Allison McGrath.

This year’s freshman class has also shown the potential to step up big for the Illini’s women team in the coming years after some big underclassmen performances this season, including freshman Annalyssa Crain’s 17th-place finish at Big Ten Championships.

@ArtofRen

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