Northwestern University Athletics
Cross Country Team Exceeds First-Year Expectations
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
With Anderson and Lancaster leading the way, the Wildcats enjoyed a healthy dose of team success. Despite having a roster comprised of mostly freshman and sophomores, Northwestern was competitive in every meet. They finished third out of six teams in the Illinois-Chicago Invitational, their opening meet, and second at the Lakefront Invitational before claiming their first team win against conference foes, Illinois and Purdue. The 'Cats followed up the win with a fourth-place finish in the 26-team Auburn Invitational before their sixth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships.
Anderson made an immediate impact, posting top-10 finishes in each of her first five races. She began her collegiate career with second-place finishes in each of Northwestern's first two meets (Illinois-Chicago Invitational and Wolf & Kettle Invitational) and went on to post her first individual victory in the team's first win against Illinois and Purdue. Anderson also finished first among Division I competitors at the Lakefront Invitational, earning Big Ten Co-Athlete of the Week accolades for her efforts. Anderson capped off her sterling freshman season with a 12th-place finish at the Big Ten Championships and a 14th-place finish at the NCAA's Midwest Regionals in which she was awarded all-district honors.
Lancaster, the other half of Northwestern's dynamic duo, also had a successful campaign. Lancaster was NU's second finisher in each meet and posted four top-10 overall finishes of her own. Lancaster's highest finish came in the Illinois/Purdue meet as she finished second overall behind Anderson. Lancaster closed out her season by finishing 16th at the Big Ten Championships and 17th at the NCAA Midwest Regionals and she also earned all-district honors.
One of the team's unsung heroes was Mary Beth Ellis. The team's only senior, Ellis provided leadership and stability along with solid running. Also a member of the swimming and diving team, Ellis brought experience to the young Wildcats while also consistently scoring for the team.
With the first year of competition in the books, the Northwestern cross-country team will look to Anderson and Lancaster to help the team build on their success and lead them up the Big Ten standings.
