2026 Distance Night in Palatine Preview

Distance Night in Palatine is the premier distance meet in Illinois, and this year looks to be a great year again. Across the board, we will see huge PRs and big breakouts from a ton of great distance runners. We break down all the action at DNIP here!

Boys 800m Main Event

The DNIP 800 is the shortest event at the meet, but it is looking to be one of the best races of the night, with lots of talent from multiple states and schools. The overall favorite based off of PR’s is Jemekhi Tally of Homestead, who is last year's Wisconsin state meet champion in the 800. Tally did run his PR last outdoor season, but has already run a 1:51.70 this indoor season and a 1:53 this outdoor season. Tally looks to be the favorite here, but there are a few who could step up and challenge him. A top contender is Evan White of Rockford Christian, who is seeded third with his PR of 1:53.22, which he ran indoors this season when he won the Illinois Indoor Championships. White was last year's 1A state meet runner-up in the 800, and he has shown he can fight for the win in the 800 when the stakes are high. Hopefully, he can put up a good fight for the win on Saturday. Another runner with a seed time in the 1:53’s is Orlando Sandoval of Berwyn Cicero Morton. Sandoval is a fantastic runner that has a few races this outdoor season where he ran a 1:55. He ran his PR of 1:53 indoors at Illinois Indoor Championships, where he got second, so he can most definitely compete with these top guys on Saturday. Another strong contender is Samuel Wollak of St. Charles(East), who is seeded fifth. Wollak is entered with his PR from last year, but this season he has already put up some quick times, including a 49.05 in the 400m. His top end speed is a big threat to this field, hopefully he can put up a good fight for that top spot. The last runner with a seed time under 1:54 is Jackson Miller of St. Louis University High, who is coming all the way from Missouri and is looking to be very dangerous. Miller ran his PR of 1:53.96 this outdoor season after running a sub 9 3200 the same day so he definitely has some more left in the tank. So far, it is looking to be a very close and fast 800 on Saturday and hopefully all the boys can come out and create an entertaining race for everyone.

Boys Mile Main Event

The DNIP mile is considered the most elite mid-season mile race in the state of Illinois. Until Magis Miles, this will be where most of the IL top ten times come from. The field for the 2026 DNIP mile is as loaded as usual, so let’s meet the field. Hailing from Wisconsin, Reed Grotenheis of Slinger is the big favorite by PR. He absolutely exploded at the WIAA state meet last spring, throwing down a huge time of 4:05. That time was good for third behind two of Grotenheis’s future teammates, Grady Lenn and Manny Putz. All three will be attending the University of Wisconsin, which speaks to the level of athlete that Grotenheis falls under. However, a slow start to his track season could open the door for someone like Owen Horeni of Yorkville, who has done nothing but beat expectations so far. Horeni was seen as an 800 runner for a long time, but after his 4:09 performance from IIC, it’s clear that he can step up to the mile and still dominate. He just recently set his lifetime best in the 800, with a mark of 1:50 at the Arcadia Invite. The biggest weapon in his arsenal is his speed, which he will certainly use here at DNIP. Thomas Czerwinski of Plainfield North should match up with these two well, as he narrowly trailed Horeni at IIC in the mile. Czerwinski has certainly had a strong indoor season, as he set his lifetime PR in the mile at IIC, with a big time drop for 4:10. He also split a 1:54 to anchor Plainfield North under the 8 minute border at the DGS Mustang Relays. On a great day, he could definitely walk away with a win here. Another name to watch is Andrew Straley of Brother Rice. Straley had a huge 3200 at IIC, with his PR of 9:02. He will be looking for a significant time drop here in the mile. Max Weber of Civic Memorial should be up with the front group as well. The 2A Cross Country state champ has the capability to run people down at the line, which is a valuable asset in the mile. Declan Slavin of Chicago Payton had a strong indoor season where he ran 4:14, he should be competitive in this race. Dylan Buturisis of Plainfield South should stand out as well. His mid-distance PRs are some of the best in Illinois, so he should be more than capable of hanging with this top group. Personally, I’m excited to see what Gabriel Gronski of Hersey can do in a competitive field. Gronski has seen huge improvement throughout the year, showcased by his win at the Batavia Distance Madness 1600 with a big PR of 4:16. He won that race with a lethal move after the halfway point, and his racing skills are among the best of the best. If this race goes his way, we could see another big time drop from Gronski. 

Boys 2 Mile Main Event

The DNIP 2 mile is most likely going to be the race of the night. As most of you already know, the distance competition has skyrocketed this year, as there has been an abundance of crazy performances and a mass amount of high schoolers running elite times in Illinois. This event will showcase a matchup that could very well be the matchup of the year. The pack leader will be Thomas Jochum of Glenbard South, the only runner in the field who has gone under 9 minutes, which he ran during his NBIN 2 mile. Jochum had a very solid cross country post season, but his track season is looking even better. Finally competing through a track season without injury, Jochum is truly living up to his fullest potential. He will be pitted against the 3A cross country state champion and the NXR Midwest champion, Philip Cupial of the notorious Downer’s Grove North. Cupial is seeded at 9:05, but with his 14:03 3 mile mark, one can be confident in saying that he will put up a fight against Jochum’s sub 9 minute. Not to mention, Cupial is used to dominating at a high level, as he was a part of the NON 4x800m national champion team in the 2024 and 2025 season. Along with these two powerhouses, you can expect to see a large pack following close behind them. Sam Hill of St. Charles North ran a great 2 mile at the Arcadia Invite, so you can expect him to return for more during this race against more of his home state competition. Aidan Connors of Plainfield North has also been having a great season so far. Being a key part in his state champion and national qualifying cross country team, Connors is a beast in the longer distance events. Since he’s one of the veteran athletes in the field, he could show up and get the job done. He took home the title at the Illinois Indoor Championships in this event. Alex Krieg of Palatine will also look to mix it up with the top group. He returns one of the top 3200 marks from last year, with a 9:02 from the 2025 Arcadia Invite. He has turned a new leaf since the end of the cross country season, and could be on to a big race here. Quaid Berger of Olney is one of the runners in this race that could surprise a lot of people. Berger has been having a crazy year so far, with his dominant finish at the cross country state finals, as well as his crazy kick to beat the Greer twins at Top Times. That surprise championship has truly put Berger’s name out there, as the newly found Top Times champion will be looking to add more champion titles to his belt at such a young age. The field here in the 2 mile is spectacular, we could see multiple sub 9 performances if the night is right. 

Girls 800m Main Event

To kick off the main event 800m on the girls side, we have 5 standout athletes and multiple returning DNIP athletes. Emily Stecky, the junior out of DePaul Catholic Prep, is one of those returners. She has opened up her outdoor season with a 2:13.67 (IL #2), but don't let that fool you; her PR is over 4 seconds under that mark. She was the runner up 800m runner at DNIP last year and won the 2A 800 at state last year with her otherworldly PR of 2:09.31! She will be faced with the toughest competition in the state, however she has the experience to push for the gold. That being said, Lily Hodneland, a star senior out of Hinsdale Central is also a part of the mix. To say the least, Hodneland has done well so far this outdoor season with a SB of 2:12.88.! She also has experience to be in the mix for title contention as she placed 2nd at the IIC this year and placed 10th at 3A states in 2025. She ran her PR of 2:11.78 at IIC, which only shows how she steps up against competition. Hodneland actually beat Stecky at the Devilette Invite two weeks ago. However, don’t underestimate the senior from Lake Zurich, Polina Krupsky, who is currently running a 2:16.06 which is good enough for 10th in the state. With her recent IIC win and her bronze finish at 3a states, the 800m is clearly a speciality for her. She also went to Boston to compete at NBNI and ran a PR of 2:11.07 just over a month ago. Mia Forystek of Lincoln-Way Central will be right with her with a current SB of 2:12.99 from the indoor season. In Charleston, last May she ran the 800m at 3A states and placed 5th with a mark of 2:12.88. Between Stecky, Hodneland, Krupsky and Forystek, we are bound to see a new IL #1 time. Another runner to watch for is Nicole Mayer, a junior out of Saint Charles East. Mayer’s outdoor season has kicked off strong with a 2:16.11, ranked 12th in the state. Her recent 4th place finish at IIC matches her 4th place finish at last year's DNIP. She will be a big factor in this meet due to her recent success. The girl’s main event 800m will absolutely live up to the hype this year. 

Girls Mile Main Event

The main event mile on the girls side looks to bring together some superstars, we should see some great times. Annika Swan of St. Ignatius leads the way with her huge PR of 4:42. As the returning 3A state champ in both the 1600 and the 800, she is easily the most decorated athlete in the field. She will be challenged by Kara Glenn of St. Charles North, who has been on a tear as of late. Glenn had a fantastic triple at IIC, running the 800, 1600 and 4x4 with times of 2:12, 4:50 and a 56.8 split. Her speed has been a huge factor for her lately, and it will come in handy when going up against someone like Swan. An out of state superstar could also compete for the win here, Ruah Franzmann-Simmert of Wisconsin will join the leaders in this race. She ran a big PR of 4:50 at the South Carolina Distance Festival last week, and she will look to carry that momentum into DNIP. Lennox Szymonik of Jacobs will be a big factor in this race as well. Szymonik is an aerobic juggernaut who is extremely confident in her fitness, it will speak volumes in this race. She won the Batavia Distance Madness 1600 in 4:55, and she led from wire to wire. If she starts up front, we are in for a very fast race. Ali Londrigan of Chatham Glenwood and Molly Farrell are both fantastic returning milers with PRs of 4:52 each. Both girls don’t see much competition locally, so this will be a good opportunity for them to race some real runners. Ainsley Carter of Lane Tech will look to finally break the 5 minute barrier here. She’s already done it in a DMR split, as she ran 4:56 at the Arcadia Invite. Now, she’ll be looking to make it an official open PR, while also competing for her spot on the podium here. Sofia Borter of Geneva has been on fire so far this outdoor season, her season best of 4:57 will mix in well with this field. There are plenty of elite runners that could absolutely make an impact in this race, it should lead to fast times all around. 

Girls 2 Mile Main Event

The girls main event 2 mile is absolutely loaded, and the entire field may run under 11 minutes. The heavy favorite coming in is the defending Distance Night 2 mile champion, junior Mia Sirois of Barrington. Though she missed the majority of the cross country season due to injury, she bounced right back and opened up her indoor campaign with a 10:13 3200. She followed this up with a US #8 All-Time 15:58 5K to win her first NBN national title. She’s already run an IL #1 10:06 this outdoor season, which she’ll likely continue to lower, potentially cracking the sub-10 barrier for the second time in her career. The race for second will be a lot tighter, with four athletes capable of taking silver. Seeded second is sophomore and defending 3A cross country state champion, Karlin Janowski of York. So far this year, she’s run 10:30 for a full 2 mile to take second at Oregon Relays, splitting 10:27.25 for 3200 en route. In addition to her aerobic strength, Janowski possesses a lethal kick that could help her take down this field. Seeded just behind Janowski in 10:28.65 is Marlie Czarniewski of Plainfield North. As the Illinois Indoor Championships 3200 champion, Czarniewski is no stranger to high stakes 2 mile races. Her mile time is just as strong, as she’s already opened up her season under 5 minutes. This mile speed could give her a real edge towards the end of this race. Another athlete with the potential to go under 10:30 is 2A cross country state champion and senior, Sydney Gertsen of Montini. Gertsen ran 10:30 to take a solo-effort win at Batavia Distance Madness in February, beating the field by over 30 seconds. With other athletes in the field capable of running strong times, don’t be surprised to see Gertsen run under 10:30 for the first time. The final athlete in this pack is junior Angelica Hil of Barrington. She has huge momentum coming into this race, as last week she ran a massive PR of 10:33, taking 14 seconds off her previous PR of 10:47. With this kind of excitement and strong competition, Hil could drop another few seconds and place high in this field.

Boys 800m Undercard

In the men’s 800m undercard, there are some familiar faces, but one in particular came entirely out of the blue: Hendrix Fyvie. The senior out of St. Louis University High School (SLUH) is the highest entry with his outdoor season’s best of 1:57.59 which is the 20th best 800m time across the Mississippi River, in Missouri. Fyvie has made a huge jump from last year with almost a 3 second PR! However, winning this second section of the undercard 800m will not be easy as there are four other athletes within 40 milliseconds of Fyvie’s time. Heading back into Illinois, we have Tyler-Lynch Goff, a senior from DGN. He was one of the huge factors into DGN’s indoor 7:49.64 4x800, which was US #10 and the best mark in the state. Relays aside, Lynch-Goff has open speed shown with his 1:57.73 mark which is ranked 24th in the state. With the ability he has in both the open 800m and 4x800m relay, he is bound to be in the mix for a podium finish at the 2026 DNIP. Reaching the end of the top-25 list is Caden Bould, the senior from Belvedere, who is currently sitting only 2 milliseconds behind Lynch-Goff. His season’s best of 1:57.75 doesn’t show his full capability as in last year's outdoor season he went under 1:57, so the ability is there. Just last week, he outkicked one of the top 800 runners in the state; Evan White of Rockford Christian. With his recent success on the outdoor track, it may be in the cards for him to break back under the 1:57 barrier. Another guy to watch is Lucas Probst of Naperville Central. Probst doesn’t quite have the open PR that the rest of the field has, but his split PR from the DGS Mustang relays is a devious 1:55. If he’s able to get back up to that mark, he will be on his way to a huge victory. The last athlete under 1:58 is Arlin Orr, a junior out of Urbana. He has yet to run an outdoor 800m but he has run his PR of 1:57.91 at GVSU’s MITS #5. With a 2a state qualification last year, he has the strength and kick to keep up and lead when it matters most.

Boys Mile Undercard

The boys undercard mile may be the warmup to the main event sections, but don’t get it twisted; this section has the capability to drop some mean times. By seed times, it looks like it’s anyone's game, but if you take a closer look, you’ll see that there are some that stand out from the rest. Ellery Shutt of Woodstock is one of those names, you should see a big PR from him here. Shutt has shattered his 3200 time this season, going from his previous best of 9:35 to 9:05 during the winter. He opened his outdoor season at Arcadia, where he ran the 3200 in 9:07, showcasing his consistency under 9:10. His aerobic fitness should put him above the rest of this field, the only question is how fast will he run. Another aerobic tank to watch is Amilo Rajandram of Whitney Young, who will also look to drop big time here. Rajandram ran a smoking 9:10 during the indoor season, which complimented his excellent cross country season nicely. His mile PR of 4:22 doesn’t speak to his aerobic strength, he should be able to snip off several seconds here. Another person who is expected to take off large quantities of time is Junior Lopez of Glenbrook North. Lopez had a great race at IIC, where he took his field from the gun and led all the way up until 20 meters to go. He’s a gutsy racer who is comfortable leading a field, so expect him to make this race happen. Cian Scanlon of Lincoln Way Central was the guy who beat Lopez in the final 20 meters, and he’ll be in this race as well. Scanlan also set his PR at 4:20 at IIC, so it’ll be a pretty even race between him and Lopez here. If he’s still attached with 100 meters to go, it’ll be hard to deny him the win here. John Reinbold of Aurora Central Catholic is extremely consistent in the low 4:20s, he should be able to sneak under that barrier here. Averick Wiseman of Dixon has been steadily improving on his mile time, he will look to break 4:20 for the first time here as well. And don’t forget about Cameron Libby of Lake Zurich, who will be competing from heat 1. Libby had one of the biggest breakouts I have ever seen during the cross country season, finishing second at the 3A state meet with a time of 14:07. He has one of the best closing kicks in the state of Illinois, and could easily surprise the top heat when it’s all said and done.

Boys 2 Mile Undercard

The boy’s 3200 undercard is going to be one of the most exhilarating races of the night with the top 5 seeds all within 1 second of each other! To lead off, we have Elijah Mendoza: senior out of Mundelein. He has opened up his outdoor season with a 9:50.59, but he’s got much more in the tank. He ran 9:28.16 earlier this indoor season which means his outdoor best as of now is nowhere close to his potential. With a 3rd place finish at the Grayslake sectional last year, expect Mendoza to be a huge competitor in this race. However just behind him is Riley Wold, one of Buffalo Grove's best senior distance runners. He opened his season at a 9:52.32, yet that also doesn’t portray what he’s truly capable of. At last year’s Hoffman Estates sectional he ran the time he will be entering with, 9:28.28. That name may sound familiar as he finished 3rd at DNIP last year in the section 2 undercard 3200m; he was also a 2024 3A state qualifier in this event. Next up, not far from Wold, we have the junior from SLUH, Micheal Luna. A name most may not know as he is from Missouri, but let it be known he is top 25 in his respective state. With the 22nd overall mark in MO, he has made a huge jump from last year. With his entry and outdoor SB and PR of 9:28.79, Luna has a shot to be a podium finish. Vinny Gullone is another relatively new name as the sophomore from Galena has made a big jump in his second year campaign. His outdoor season opener in the 3200m was slightly over 10 minutes, yet he ran a 9:28.79 earlier this year at the indoor Top Times meet, where he placed 8th in 2A. Gullone will be able to go toe-to-toe with each of these guys when in the right position. To cap off this wild undercard we have Elijah Teefey, one of Pleasant Plains star senior distance runners. He opened his outdoor season the second fastest of anyone here with a 9:38.52. However, his PR of 9:23 is easily the top mark in this heat, which shows the possibility for a return to greatness. Luke Marshall of Lake Zurich might not have one of the top marks in the 3200, but his cross country prowess makes him a threat here. He popped off at the 3A cross country state meet this fall with a huge time of 14:22. He could easily drop his 3200 time of 9:36 down to take a win here. This 3200m undercard is set up to be one of the closest races at DNIP 2026

Girls 800m Undercard

The girls undercard 800 will be an extremely close race, we should see both sections mix it up on the podium. The top seed is Itzel Figueroa of West Aurora, she’s one of two girls who have broken the 2:20 barrier so far. Figueroa is joined by Carly Ernst of Naperville Central, who is also seeded at 2:19. Ernst has dropped a lot of time to get where she is today, she will look to continue that streak of improvement here. The two Lincoln Way Central runners, Ana Dal Ponte and Keira Faxel, are separated by heat, but should both be in the competition for the win. Faxel split a devious 2:16 at the state meet last year, so if she’s back in that form, she’ll be ready for a big win. Dal Ponte was 2:18 for the same relay, she could also find herself on top of the podium. Nora Wedwick of Rockford Boylan was a key part of the 3rd place 2A 4x8 from last year, her time of 2:20 will be good enough for a strong finish here. Overall, it’s impossible to accurately predict who will come out on top here, because the field is seeded so close together. In a field like this, it will come down to positioning and closing speed to decide the winner. 

Girls Mile Undercard

The girls undercard mile should produce some solid times, let’s meet the field. From Lane Tech, we’ll see both Amy Herzog and Samantha Borg-Breen towards the front. Although they will be in separate heats, both girls have PRs of 5:14 in the 1600, which leads the undercard in terms of PR. Both girls have seen great improvement this season, this will be a chance for them to further prove their skills. Paige Joachim of Minooka will be a strong force in this race as well. Her 1600 PR got set at Batavia Distance Madness when she ran 5:15, and she could definitely walk away with a sneaky win here. Her 800 speed makes her a threat in the final 100, so if the race is left to a kick, she will likely get the win. Estella Ollinger of Vernon Hills should be up with that front group as well. She had a great double at IIC, with two PRs in both the 800 and the 1600. Her kick is really strong as well, so she could also be a threat in the final stretch of the race. Abigail Kocher of Lake Zurich should make a solid attempt for the win here as well. She was a part of the Lake Zurich 4x8 that won IIC in 9:21 and her PR of 5:14 puts her well in range of the leaders. Molly Webb of Winnebago could mix it up with the top runners here too. She took 7th at Top Times in a loaded 1A mile, she set her PR there with a 5:13. Celia Blaylock of Lake Zurich just recently set her PR in the mile at 5:15. With her 800 speed, she should also mix it up with the top runners in this field. This race will come down to a matter of milliseconds, it should lead to some exciting action. 

Girls 2 Mile Undercard

The undercard 3200 races will bring plenty of quality racing, as this section is chalk full of talent and competition. Ashlynn Chopra of Chatham Glenwood will be the favorite coming into this race. Chopra ran 11:03 here last year to set her all-time PR, and she is easily the strongest runner in the field. She was the third place finisher at the 2A cross country state championships with a time of 17:12, and she should be able to get a convincing win here. Elayna Harker of Taylorville will lead the chase pack behind Chopra. Harker has a PR of 11:24 which she ran during the indoor season. She had a productive cross country season, running a big PR of 17:29 to finish 13th in 2A at the state meet. She will look to take some big time off of her 3200 PR here. Aleah Box of Anna Jonesboro won her heat here last year, she should be up with the leaders again this year. Her lifetime best came from that DNIP win in 11:26, she could shave off even more time this year. Julianna Gamboa of Fenwick will be a big part of the chase pack as well. Gamboa set her lifetime best during the indoor season with a time of 11:25, she could drop considerable time here. Emily Anand of Mahomet Seymour should fit right into this group too. Her PR of 11:23 beats most of the field, but she’ll have to make a considerable jump from her season best if she wants to get back up to that mark.