Northwestern University Athletics
Wildcats Ready to Compete at Pre-National Invitational
10/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Oct. 12, 2006
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern will compete at the Pre-National Invitational Saturday, Oct. 14 at the LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terre Haute, Ind. hosted by Indiana State University. The Wildcats take to the 6K course in the 18-team Open Race Saturday at 1 p.m.
The event, which is taking place at the same site as this year's NCAA Championships, is the final preparation for the Wildcats before heading to the Big Ten Championships in two weeks.
Head coach Amy Tush's squad will be among some of the best teams in the nation. Stanford, Colorado and Michigan, the nation's top-three, are a few of the top programs out of the 94 taking part in Pre-Nationals.
It's going to be a great meet regardless of which race we are in," coach Tush said. It is so important in our season because it has always been a turning point. In no other sport do the best 80 or so teams get to compete against each other. It really is the best meet in the country in our sport."
The location of this year's race holds a special place for coach Tush.
"Running the race at my alma mater brings out pride and emotion for me. I always want my team to do well in front of my second hometown crowd."
The 'Cats placed 31st in last year's meet. Sophomore Allison King (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill) turned in the top time for the Wildcats, finishing 137th with a time of 22:33. She was followed by Hilary Forman (Prairie Village, Kan./Pembroke) who was 154th and Celia Franklin (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) who was 166th.
Other members of the team will be competing at the 5K Forester Invitational in Vernon Hills, Ill. Northwestern has won the event four out of the last six years. The 'Cats placed third in 2005.
Runners Participating in Pre-Nationals:
Allison King
Marie Grabinski
Celia Franklin
Carly Brown
Hilary Forman
Diana Burk
Mallory O'Niel
Triphena Wong
Alyssa Urish
Elizabeth Boyle
Paulina Garcia
Britta Helwig
Teams in Women's Open Race:
Arizona
Boise State
Cincinnati
Coastal Carolina
Dartmouth
Eastern Kentucky
Harvard
IUPUI
Kansas
Loyola (Ill.)
Loyola (Md.)
Miami (Ohio)
Morehead State
Norfolk State
Northwestern
Portland
San Jose State
Texas-Pan American
Toledo
Last Time Out:
Sophomores King and Forman led the Wildcats to a fifth-place finish at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Sept. 30. The Wildcats received strong performances from their freshmen. Paulina Garcia (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) finished in 32nd and Britta Helwig (Chicago, Ill./Luther North) placed 51st overall.
