Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Sign Two During Early Period
12/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Dec. 10, 2003
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern Women's Cross Country Head Coach Amy Tush announced the signing of two women to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period in November.
Alison Coren (Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling) and Marie Grabinski (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) will matriculate at Northwestern next year and be eligible to run for the Wildcats in the fall of 2004.
"We are very excited about adding Alison and Marie to our team next season," said Tush. "Their excitement for the sport will add depth and bring together an already successful team."
Northwestern-which ran at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in 2002-recently completed its 2003 season with a seventh-place finish at the Midwest Regional Championships. The Wildcats will lose three women who were scorers in that meet: Emily Blakeslee (Rockford, Mich./Rockford), Nora Colligan (Rockford, Mich./Rockford) and Nicole Kalogeropoulos (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Fremd).
Information on the Wildcats' two early signees is below.
ALISON COREN
Wheeling, Ill./Wheeling
High School: Lettered four times in cross country ... Finished fifth at state championship meet two times, in 2001 as a sophomore and 2003 as a senior ... Won individual conference title as a freshman in 2000 and a sophomore in 2001 ... Third in the conference meet senior year ... All-conference selection in 2002 as a junior ... Chicago Tribune All-Metro selection ... Helped team to second place at state meet in 2001 and fourth in 2003 ... In track, finished eighth in the state in the 3200 as a freshman and sophomore ... Qualified for state meet in 3200 last year as a junior ... Won Mid-Suburban League title in 3200 freshman year and was second sophomore year ... Head coach is Mark Saylor ... Also runs with Prospect Heights Running Club ... Helped team to national USATF Junior Olympic championships in 1998 and 2001 ... National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society member.
Personal: Born Alison Terese Coren on 6/24/86 ... Parents are Lourdes and Steve Coren.
Coach Tush says: "Alison's desire to be great and her past high school experiences will make her a contributor next season. She is a smart, consistent runner who has not reached her potential as a competitive runner. Ali will fill in the gaps and bring our team together next season. She fits in well with the team and I expect great things to happen in her Wildcat career."
MARIE GRABINSKI
Carmel, Ind./Carmel
High School: Ran cross country only her senior year ... First-team all-state as well as winner of Hamilton County, Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference, sectional and regional individual titles ... Helped Greyhounds win sectional and regional titles ... Highly decorated tennis player at high school and junior levels ... Ranked No. 1 in Midwest and No. 4 nationally in 16-and-under doubles ... Went undefeated at No. 2 singles and helped team go unbeaten and win state championship ... First-team all-state selection.
Personal: Born Marie Ann Grabinski on 5/2/86 ... Parents are Eva and Lech Grabinski.
Coach Tush says: "Marie is a newcomer to our sport, but as an elite tennis player she knows what it takes to be a successful athlete. This was her first year running cross country, and she proved herself to be one of the top runners in Indiana throughout the season. I am very excited to see what Marie can become as a runner; she definitely has the right attitude, and her potential remains to be seen."
