Two Irish runners attend the Loyola University in Chicago. They are Robert Wade (Portlaw, Co Waterford) and Sean Conroy from Cork. Both athletes ran at North Monastery. Last season Wade narrowly missed qualifying as an individual for the NCAA Cross Country Championships. He earned a spot on the Irish team for the European X-C Championships. He ran personal bests in the 3,000m (8.23.88) and 5,000m (14.26.04) during the indoor campaign.

Robbie Wade placed 36th in the seeded section White race at the Pre-National meet held in Terre Haute, Indiana on 19th October. He covered the 8-kilometre course in 24.41. Coach Marc Burns commented on Wade's performance, "Robbie battled all the way through the race and was able to move up from the 50's into the 30's at the end of the race." Sean Conroy was the Ramblers 4th runner placing 149th in 25.42.

Wade led the Ramblers to the first place team title (27 points) at the Sean Earl Lakefront Invitational on 5th October. Wade ran 24.41 for the 8k-course in Chicago, Illinois. Conroy placed 27th in the race and was the fourth finisher for Loyola-Chicago. Wade finished 45th at the Great American Cross Country Festival in Charlotte, North Carolina on 28th September covering the 8k-course in 27.38.6. Sean Conroy was 85th in 28.17.6. The Loyola-Chicago men's team placed three runners in the top seven and six in the first 14 in the field of 84 runners to place 2nd (38 points) at the Illinois Collegiate meeting held in Normal, Illinois on 14th September. Sophomore Robert Wade picked up where he left off last cross=country season and placed second in the race, covering the 8k course in 26.04.57. Wade was the Horizon League Newcomer of the Year in 2001.