Rock Island, IL – Millikin men's cross country earned its third consecutive top-three team finish, while the women's team recorded its second straight top-five team finish of the 2026 season at Augustana College's Brissman-Lundeen Invitational on Saturday. The Big Blue men placed third overall, while the women finished fifth.
Sophomore
Emma Mathews paced the women's team in the 6K, earning 24th with a career-best time of 24:24.9. Sophomore
Jillian Conlon followed in 36th at 24:39.0, while junior
Teyla Wendt placed 40th with a time of 24:48.8. Sophomores
Lindsey Klaus (42nd/24.51.5) and
Kiley Coker (44th/25:05.6) rounded out the scoring for Millikin, with all five runners placing in the top 50. Freshman
Alaina Karker (63rd/25:52.0) and Emily Urbankski (69th/26:07.8) complete the Big Blue's top seven.
Junior
Reece Peters once again led the men's team, finishing second overall with a time of 25:43.3. Peters has now recorded runner-up finishes in each of the Big Blue's last two meets. Junior
Joey McGinn crossed the finish line in 15th at 26:41.7, adding another top-15 finish to his 2026 campaign. Sophomore
Josh LaChance finished in 17th at 26:46.0, while seniors
Will Turvey (29th/27:08.5) and
Aiden Pacunas (32nd/27:12.0) wrap up Millikin's scoring five. Sophomore
Talan Thrasher (42nd/27.22.2) and Junior
Aaron Mohr (53rd/27:35.4) finish off the top seven for the Big Blue in Rock Island.
Quoting Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Andrew Craycraft
On the women's team performance:
"I really liked how engaged the women were. Just measuring body language, I could tell that our group was tired, having raced three weeks in a row. But you could tell the commitment to the race and to each other was keeping them in the battle. I'm so grateful for the fight of this group and know that with a little bit more rest and some quality training in the next few weeks we will be prepared for the postseason. Our best running is ahead of us."
On the men's team performance:
"The men put together an excellent race. What I saw today was the combination of a lot of work on our individual and collective beliefs in what we are doing. This group has a lot of heart, and we are racing more confidently than we have in a long time."
The Big Blue will take the week off before returning to action on Friday, Oct. 16 at the Bradley Pink Classic in Peoria, Ill.
