CHICAGO (September 16, 2021) – Following a strong start to their 2021 season just under two weeks ago, the Loyola University Chicago cross country teams will head to Central Illinois this Friday for the Redbird Invitational in Normal, Ill.
 
The women's 6k race will open up the meet at 5 p.m. on Friday evening at Illinois State University's Weibring Golf Club, while the men's 8k will follow at 5:45 p.m.  A link to live results can be accessed to the right.
 
Loyola will have the opportunity to see where it stacks up against multiple Missouri Valley Conference foes on Friday, with the host Redbirds, Drake, Southern Illinois, UNI, and Valparaiso all slated to be in attendance.  Also set to feature in the field are local rivals DePaul and Northwestern, along with Illinois, whose women's team enters the week ranked at No. 17 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Cross Country National Coaches' Poll.
 
The Maroon & Gold raised the curtain on the cross country season back on September 2, competing at the Hawkeye Invitational in Iowa City, Iowa. 
 
Spearheading the attack for Loyola in the men's 6k race was redshirt freshman Guillermo Ibarra, who posted a time of 18:53.6 to claim ninth place, as he helped the Ramblers to a sixth-place finish in the team standings. 
 
Youth shined in the women's 4k, with freshman Grace Kuhn clocking in at 14:48.1 to finish 28^th, leading a quartet of freshmen that occupied four of the top five scoring spots for Loyola.  Paced by Kuhn, the Rambler women placed seventh in the team race.
 
Loyola will continue its season on Saturday, October 2 at the Live in Lou Cross Country Classic in Louisville, Ky.