he University of Illinois Springfield men's cross country team finished 10th out of 29 scoring teams at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional in Kenosha, Wis., on Saturday. The Prairie Stars showcased depth and teamwork on a challenging Parkside course, tackling the season's first 10K race.

Senior Brock Loftus led UIS with a 36th-place finish, running a steady 31:46 10K to anchor the squad. Close behind, Colin Graham crossed in 32:04, finishing in the top 50 in his first regional appearance as a Prairie Star. Joey Karlesky was close behind 32:09 for 55th, while Matt Padilla finished 60th in 32:14, rounding out UIS's top three scorers. Owen Whelan completed the Prairie Stars' scoring five in 82nd place at 32:39, giving the team a five-runner spread of just 53 seconds and highlighting the squad's balance and depth.

Additional contributors included Noah Tegeler, who finished 118th in 33:23, and freshman Charlie Berlin, who ran 33:37 in his collegiate 10K debut. The team's tight pack running early in the race has been a strength all season and was on full display in Kenosha.

The top three teams — Grand Valley State, Saginaw Valley State, and Lewis — earned automatic bids to the NCAA DII Championships, matching USTFCCCA regional projections. Additional at-large qualifiers are expected to be announced Monday on NCAA.com.

"This team fought hard every step of the way today," said head coach Emmons King. "They put themselves in position early and made it their race! From the start of the season to now, they have made huge improvements, and I couldn't be more proud of them. We have a really young squad, so I'm excited to see what the future holds for them."