QUINCY, Ill - The Quincy University men's cross country team is ready to turn the page to a new season.

The Hawks will begin their 2026 campaign Friday, September 4th, traveling to Springfield, IL. The Prairie Stars Invitational is hosted by the University of Illinois Springfield which will give Quincy its first opportunity to measure its progress and begin building toward the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship later this fall. 

For a team featuring a mixture of returning runners and new faces, Friday's race represents the first chance to see what the Hawks can accomplish together. 

A Group Ready to Grow

Quincy returns several runners who gained valuable collegiate experience last season, including Joe Warning, Vinny Olson, Oliver Moore, and Jude Mintle. They will be joined by John Damm and freshman Peyton Anders, Owen Buie, Austin Prince, Keegan Sensmeier, and Austin Shull. 

At the center of the returning group is Warning, who enters his sophomore season after putting together an impressive freshman campaign. 

Warning was Quincy's top finisher at the 2025 GLVC Championship, crossing the line at 28:09.44. That performance placed him fourth on Quincy's all-time 8k performance list and gave the Hawks a clear indication of what he could bring to the program moving forward. 

The Quincy native also showed continued improvement throughout his first season at the Lewis Crossover. Warning ran a personal best 28:53.71 which ranked among the fastest 8k performances in program history. 

With a full season now behind him, Warning will look to take another step forward and provide leadership for a young Quincy group.

Olson Brings Experience

Vinny Olson returns after finishing his freshman season with one of the school's strongest performances at the GLVC Championship. Olson ran 28:36.82, which is the eighth-fastest 8k in program history. 

Olson posted a strong 2026 track and field season, continuing to develop as a distance runner. He finished third in the 1,500 meters at the Mustang Distance Carnival and later joined Warning in producing notable performances throughout the outdoor season. 

Together, Warning and Olson give Quincy a duo who already know what it takes to compete at the collegiate level.

More Depth, More Possibilities 

In addition, Quincy has several runners who could play important roles throughout the season.

Oliver Moore enters his sophomore season after competing in both cross country and track and field his freshman year. John Damm gained valuable racing experience last season as he returns for his sophomore season. 

Senior Jude Mintle provides veteran leadership to a roster that includes many young runners. The current roster features five freshman, giving head coach Manske an opportunity to develop the next wave of Quincy distance runners alongside the team's established athletes. 

That combination could make depth one of the team's biggest storylines as the season progresses. 

Cross country is ultimately a team sport, and having multiple runners capable of closing the gap between one another can make a major difference when team scores are calculated. 

A Challenging First Test

The host of Friday's meet, Illinois Springfield, was picked third in the 2026 preseason coaches' poll while Quincy was selected twelfth, which means the opening gives the Hawks an immediate chance to compete against a program expected to be near the top of the conference. 

The rankings, however, are not set in stone. 

The Hawks have the opportunity to establish their own identity, beginning with the Prairie Star Invitational. Last season showed Quincy could put together a competitive group, while this year's roster brings back much of that experience while adding fresh faces.

A New Era Under Manske 

Mark Manske takes over as head coach for both the men and women's cross country programs after much of his own experience completed at both Coe College and Southeasten Community College. 

He has plenty of room to grow this season and already has a foundation of collegiate experience. 

The Hawks schedule provides them with four regular season opportunities before the postseason. After Friday's meet, competition resumes at the Larry Young Invitational on September 11th, the Seminole Stampede on October 3rd, and the Brain T. Simpson Invitational October 10th. The GLVC Championships will follow in November. 

To view the complete 2026 schedule, click here.