Loyola Cross Country Competes at Pre-National Meet
The Ramblers finished their latest cross country meet ahead of upcoming conference championship action.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Running
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The Loyola University men and women cross country teams competed at the Under Armour Pre-National Invitational. The event serves as a preview for the NCAA Division I Championship.
Why it matters
The performance provides a critical benchmark for the teams as they prepare for the upcoming postseason. Athletes measured their progress on the same course set to host the national championship.
The Loyola men's team finished with a total score of 499, while the women's team recorded a score of 1021. Individual performances included Eugene Niox-Chateau at 24:52.5 and Allison Dougherty at 21:32.8.
The players
Loyola University
This Chicago-based private research university competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Erika Koelman
She is a member of the Loyola cross country team who finished the 6k race in 21:40.5.
Eugene Niox-Chateau
He is a Loyola cross country athlete who recorded a time of 24:52.5 in the 8k.
Jake Phillips
He is a runner for Loyola who completed the 8k event in 24:00.9.
Allison Dougherty
She is a competitor for Loyola who finished her 6k race in 21:32.8.
The details
Loyola competed in the men's 8k and women's 6k races at the LeVern Gibson Cross Country Course. The meet functioned as an important rehearsal on the terrain designated for the NCAA Division I Championship.
Timeline
October 16, 2026: The Under Armour Pre-National Invitational occurred.
October 31, 2026: The Atlantic 10 Championships begin.
Season Trajectory
This meet serves as a crucial dry run for the NCAA Division I Championship hosted at the same venue. The results provide coaches with the data needed to finalize their squads for the looming Atlantic 10 Championships.
The team scores of 499 and 1021 establish the baseline performance metrics ahead of the postseason. Athletes and observers can track how these individual race times influence roster rotations for the upcoming conference final.
The takeaway
Using invitational meets to preview championship terrain is a standard strategy to optimize competitive readiness. Runners aiming for postseason success must now translate these technical performance data points into improved finishing positions.
What happens next
The Ramblers are scheduled to compete at the Atlantic 10 Championships on October 31, 2026.
Further reading
Follow the latest team performance metrics on the Running section page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Loyola Phoenix.
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