Northwestern University Athletics
Cross Country Gears Up For Big Ten Championships
10/27/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Oct. 27, 1999
EVANSTON, Ill. - Last year, after a 10-year hiatus, the Northwestern women?s cross country team was revived and finished sixth at the Big Ten championships. With the program a year older and a year wiser, head coach April Ecke is expecting even greater things from her runners this Saturday (Oct. 30), when Penn State hosts the 1999 Big Ten Championships.
?Obviously we want to do better than last year,? she said. ?If every single woman we put out there runs well, we are capable of great things. We have enough depth this year that we don?t need to rely on two people like we did last year.?
Saturday?s races will be run on the Penn State Blue and White Course in State College, Pa. The women will start the day with a 5-kilometer race at 9:45 a.m. CT, while the men take off on their 8-kilometer race at 10:30 a.m. CT.
Wisconsin is the heavy favorite for the fifth straight year on the women?s side. The Badgers are ranked fifth in the latest national poll and boast sophomore Erica Palmer, who has three of the top six times in the conference this fall. Minnesota (No. 17) and Michigan State (No. 18) are also ranked.
For NU, Ecke is counting on depth to improve upon last year?s finish. Senior Mary Beth Ellis (Lewes, Del./Lawrenceville) and sophomore Jennifer Anderson (Rockford, Ill./Auburn Academy) figure to be in the mix at the front of the race Saturday, as both have had stellar seasons for the Wildcats. After that, Ecke has several candidates who could place among her top five. Among the favorites to score are junior Shannon McGowan (Chicago, Ill./St. Scholastica) and freshmen Karen Rogers (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood), Nicole Kuznia (Olivia, Minn./BOLD) and Rachel Evjen (Eau Claire, Wis./North).
In just its second year back on the cross country scene, Northwestern has had a stellar fall. The Wildcats won three of the six events they competed in and never finished lower than third in a meet.
Saturday?s Big Ten meet marks the beginning of the championship season. The Wildcats will also compete in the NCAA District 5 meet on Saturday, Nov. 13, in Champaign, Ill., trying to qualify for the national championship race that will be held Monday, Nov. 22, in Bloomington, Ind.
