* Illinois coach Sarah Haverman coaches both the men's and women's XC programs
Photo Credit: University of Illinois Sports
By Garrett Zatlin - Milesplit Recruiting Correspondent
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It doesn't happen often, but every now and then fans of collegiate cross country get to see a new team rise in the national ranks and stay at, or at least near, the top as an established juggernaut.
A couple years ago, we saw the Notre Dame men go through that same turnaround. When men's coach Sean Carlson took over the program's cross country duties, the Fighting Irish began to establish a new culture, effectively develop their top talents and recruit better than any other distance program in the nation.
But now another program is beginning to make promising improvements and is showing tell-tale signs of being a long-term threat in NCAA Division I cross country.
The University of Illinois women.
* Annalyssa Crain after finishing as Indiana's state runner-up in 2019
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Back in 2017, the Fighting Illini finish...
