West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois cross country team is set to compete in the Summit League Championships this Saturday, October 29, at the Ray Richards Golf Course in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The event will feature a Women's 6k race starting at 11 a.m., followed by the Men's 8k at noon.

Head coach Trey Brokaw expressed optimism about his team's potential performances. "We raced very well in some early season races but struggled a little bit at times in bigger competitions as of late," Brokaw said. "We can somewhat expect that inconsistency with such a young and inexperienced roster. I'm confident we can put together some great performances this weekend at the conference meet. Whether good or bad, we have learned a lot from each race opportunity this season."

Senior Paulina Wuestefeld and junior Logan Lommel have been standout performers throughout the season and are expected to lead Western Illinois University (WIU) during the championships. Brokaw praised their contributions: "Paulina and Logan have done a fantastic job leading our teams all year long. Both athletes have already had two of the best seasons in program history; anything they accomplish this post-season will just be a bonus."

Both Wuestefeld and Lommel emphasized their focus on achieving strong team scores alongside individual success. "I have big expectations for the team," Lommel stated. "We want to get our best team score that we have had in a couple decades." Wuestefeld added, "I'm excited, we have a pretty strong group of young talented runners. It's been fun to see how they have progressed through the year with more intense training. I am proud of them."

Following the Summit League Championships, WIU's cross country team will compete at the Midwest Regional Meet in Columbia, Missouri on Friday, November 11.