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2026 IHSA Track and Field Girls State: Prediction Series
The Cooldown Podcast has made their picks! Check out Simon, Jackson and Carson’s picks for the girl’s state meet! 3A Simon Jackson Carson 100 Rayna Raglin Rayna Raglin Rayna Raglin 200 Rayna Raglin Rayna Raglin Rayna Raglin 400 Abigail Jackson Rayna Raglin Abigail Jackson 800 Mia Forystek Kara Glenn Polina Krupsky 1600 Kara Glenn Mia Sirois Mia Sirois 3200 Mia Sirois Mia Sirois Mia Sirois 100mH Sophia Shapiro Daisha Brunson Daisha Brunson 300mH Sophia Shapiro Sophia Shapiro S
Jackson Summy
May 212 min read


2026 IHSA Track and Field Girls State: 1A Preview
We have finally made it to the end of the season, and the girls state meet is just around the corner. With 1A prelims tomorrow, we have gone event by event and broken down all of the action that you will see this weekend! 100 The 1A 100m has no clear favorite, which means there are a number of athletes that could take the win here. Two of the top times are held by freshmen Isabella Niebrugge of Teutopolis and Austyn McDowell of Robinson. Niebrugge ran a solid 12.06 at the sec
Jackson Summy
May 2019 min read


2026 IHSA Track and Field Girls State: 2A Preview
We have finally made it to the end of the season, and the girls state meet is just around the corner. With 1A prelims tomorrow, we have gone event by event and broken down all of the action that you will see this weekend! 100 Danville currently holds both the boys and the girls top 2A 100m runners. Focusing on the girls side, Jamia Esther is the favorite to win. Now, the tiniest mistake can be made in such a short race, but Esther is currently almost .4 seconds ahead of every
Jackson Summy
May 2018 min read


2026 IHSA Track and Field Girls State: 3A Preview
We have finally made it to the end of the season, and the girls state meet is just around the corner. With 1A prelims tomorrow, we have gone event by event and broken down all of the action that you will see this weekend! 100m The 100m is always a marquee event at the state meet, one that can throw a wrench into predictions given how little margin for error exists in such a short race. That said, this year's field has a clear and heavy favorite in Rayna Raglin of Alton, who h
Jackson Summy
May 2021 min read


Photos From Girls Sectional Week
Deerfield Sectional Photos WWS Sectional Photos

Carson Vittorio
May 191 min read


2026 Boys Conference - Thursday Previews
SWSC The Southwest Suburban Conference is the best it has been in years, there is a ton of exciting stuff going down here. In the sprints, we are going to be treated to a great matchup in the 300mH between Myles Ellis of Homewood Flossmoor and Anthony Lusciatti of Lincoln Way West. Ellis has been a fantastic 300mH all season long, his season best of 37.39 stands as the #4 mark in Illinois. Ellis will also be running the open 100, where he should be in for an easy win, as his
Jackson Summy
May 149 min read


2026 Boys Conference - Wednesday Previews
SPC The SPC is home to some of the top programs in the entire state, we are going to see some electric track events here. In the sprints, Dontrell Young of Oswego is in the hunt for his first ever conference triple crown. He’s entered in the 100, 200, and 400 and he is the heavy favorite in the latter two. His 400 season best of 47.76 makes him one of 4 athletes who have broken 48 this season, which makes him a great candidate for the win here. He will face fierce competition
Jackson Summy
May 137 min read


2026 Performer of the Week: Week 14
Its time to vote for your weekly performers of the week! Something a little new this year will be a giveaway to our top weekly vote getter from a single week. We will be giving away a Illinois Running News Bucket Hat to the top weekly voter getter from the season. Voting runs from Monday to Sunday so make sure to get your votes in! Any athletes that use bots in order to get votes will be disqualified. Boys Week 1: Ben Blank (Naperville Central) [293 votes] Week 2: Logan Abram

Carson Vittorio
May 121 min read


2026 IHSA Girls Sectional Hub
Following Tuesday night’s sectional seed meetings, Illinois Running News will once again provide a one-stop hub for every sectional heat sheet across the state. As athletes, coaches, and fans begin preparing for one of the biggest weekends of the season, the hub will make it easier than ever to follow the postseason landscape, preview key matchups, and see where the state’s top athletes are placed heading into championship racing. From loaded sprint sections to stacked distan

Carson Vittorio
May 128 min read


2026 Boys Conference - Tuesday Previews
Mid Illini The Mid Illini Conference is one of the best 2A distance conferences in the state, and we are set to see an electric 4x8 today. Metamora ran an incredible 7:48 last week to take the IL #3 spot in the 4x8. That exact relay is on the relay card for today, and they will have some great competition from Morton. Morton has listed their A-squad, with Abe Martin, Keyston Beyer, Joe Anders, and Campbell Akers all appearing on the relay card for this afternoon. Martin and B
Jackson Summy
May 122 min read


Photos From Last Week
LAKE COUNTY PHOTOS DUPAGE COUNTY PHOTOS

Carson Vittorio
May 121 min read


2026 Girls Conference - Saturday Previews
CPL The Chicago Public League is the biggest conference in the state and this year’s talent should drop some great times. The sprints will see some big names with the likes of Jordan Hamb of South Shore and Kayla Riepe of Whitney Young. Hamb was the NBIN champ in the 60mH and is one of the top hurdlers in the country. Riepe has a strong season best in the 400 with a mark of 55.69. Both athletes will put the CPL in the spotlight this weekend. Hamb will continue to dominate in
Jackson Summy
May 82 min read


2026 Girls Conference - Friday Previews
West Suburban Conference Silver The WSC Silver is the premier distance conference in the state of Illinois, and this year, the distance events will not disappoint. The 1600 is absolutely loaded, with Karlin Janowski of York coming in as the heavy favorite. Janowski is the only athlete who has broken the 5 minute barrier, but she will still get a run for her money from the rest of the field. Macy Ermitage of Downers Grove North is the only athlete who isn’t doubling back from
Jackson Summy
May 82 min read


2026 Track & Field Team Rankings: Week 14
Week 14 of the Illinois Running News Track & Field Team Rankings brings some movement across all classifications as new performances continue to reshape the projected team scores. These rankings are built using a state meet scoring simulation, awarding points based on where athletes rank statewide in each event and combining those marks to form a projected championship-style team total. Only 9 athletes score in each event at the State Meet, this does not reflect regular meet

Carson Vittorio
May 81 min read


2026 Track & Field Event Rankings: Week 14
lllinois Running News Event Rankings return this week as these rankings are built using a in-season indoor and outdoor performances. By factoring in results alongside known credentials, the rankings provide context while still allowing room for movement as new performances are recorded. As the season continue, these event rankings will begin to shift, reflecting who is rounding into form and who is making an early statement across the state. We use PR's, head to head records,

Carson Vittorio
May 81 min read


2026 Girls Conference - Thursday Previews
DuKane Conference The distance events are stacked at DuKane, we should see some great matchups all over the place. In the 3200, Kara Glenn of St. Charles North will go up against Sofia Borter of Geneva. Borter has been on the rise lately, but taking down an athlete like Glenn will take a great performance from her. In the 1600, you’ll see Gwen Hobson of St. Charles North, Avery Hacker of Batavia, and Nicole Mayer of St. Charles East battle it out for the win. Hobson and Mayer
Jackson Summy
May 74 min read


2026 Performer of the Week: Week 13
Its time to vote for your weekly performers of the week! Something a little new this year will be a giveaway to our top weekly vote getter from a single week. We will be giving away a Illinois Running News Bucket Hat to the top weekly voter getter from the season. Voting runs from Monday to Sunday so make sure to get your votes in! Any athletes that use bots in order to get votes will be disqualified. Boys Week 1: Ben Blank (Naperville Central) [293 votes] Week 2: Logan Abram
Jackson Summy
May 61 min read


Jackson Summy
May 61 min read


2026 Girls Conference - Wednesday Previews
SPC There’s plenty to be excited for at the Southwest Prairie Conference this year. In the distance events, Marlie Czarnewski will look to take a big win in the 1600. Czarnewski’s PR of 4:57 is the best in the field, but she’ll see strong competition from Madison King of Joliet Central. King will be doubling in the 800 and the 1600, so Czarnewski should have fresh legs as an advantage there. In the 800, King will be facing off against Natalie Nahs of Minooka, which should be
Jackson Summy
May 65 min read


2026 Wanner Knights Invite Preview
The Prospect Wanner Knights invite has some great talent attending this year. We should see some prestigious names compete for great marks here. We break down all the action here! Distance The distance events are definitely the standout events here at the Wanner Knights Invite. There are two main events that will likely put up some premier times, they will be the 1600 and the 4x8. 1600 The field for the Wanner Knights 1600 is absolutely stacked this year, we could see some hu
Jackson Summy
May 17 min read
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