The Illinois women’s cross country team officially established a clear-cut path to the NCAA National Championships next week.

No. 13 Illinois qualified for its seventh consecutive nationals appearance after taking second at Saturday’s NCAA Regional Championships, in which the top two finishers received an automatic bid to nationals.

Despite have several runners suffering with minor illnesses, the Illini entered Saturday’s meet confident that they would place in the top two.

“Our goal was to be in the top two and go to nationals, and we did that, (but) I think we’re walking away … not very happy with how some of the racing went,” cross country coach Jeremy Rasmussen said. “Some people just didn’t feel very well. I think they raced well, but they were not very happy with the results. People felt a little under the weather the last week and a half.”

One such athlete was Angela Bizzarri, who Rasmussen said wasn’t feeling well. Nevertheless, the senior All-American took the individual title in the 6K race in 20:07.

“She definitely deserves it,” senior Elizabeth Boyle said.

Bizzarri had finished as the runner-up each of the past three years at Regionals. But after Saturday’s accomplishment, she stands alongside alumni Cassie Hunt as the only Illini to win the meet.

The competition might not have been up to par this year, but it does not take away from Bizzarri’s performance, according to Rasmussen.

“In the last three years, she’s come in second in Regionals and has always had some good competition, not that she didn’t have great competition today,” Rasmussen said. “For her, I was happy she was able to go out and win. She didn’t feel very (well, but) she was able to get out and run and compete in the race.

Bizzari’s win also makes her the first Illini to ever place in the top 10 at all four regional meets in her career, adds a fourth consecutive All-Region honor to her resume and gives her third her individual career win. Bizzarri’s top finish highlighted the strength of Illinois’ front pack.

“We have four girls that are All-Region, which is pretty exciting to be going to nationals so, I’m just happy about that,” said Boyle, who finished third for Illinois and 12th overall in 21:12.

Illinois sophomore Kristin Sutherland took fourth individually in 20:44. Junior Chantelle Groenewoud finished 23rd overall with a time of 21:34.

But for the Illini to succeed with a top-10 finish at nationals, they must see improvement from the back of their pack.

Junior Jamie Brusa took on the important fifth-runner role and finished 51st overall with a personal best of 22:07.

“This time I went out a little slower, which gave me more energy in the end (and) was a much smarter race plan than last time at Big Tens,” Brusa said.

Minnesota won the team title with 60 points, while Illinois had 86 in the 22-team field.

If the Illini want a good finish at nationals, they must continue to have their fifth runner improve and stay healthy in the next nine days.

“Jamie did an awesome job (Saturday), and it’s just a matter of continuing to have those types of races from one of those three girls and being able to pick each other up and move forward,” Rasmussen said.