#B1GCats Race To Top-2 Finish At 2015 Illini Open

10/23/2015 11:08:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track

By: Paul Kennedy

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Led by junior Renee Wellman, Northwestern nailed down a second-place finish Friday at the 2015 Illini Open, the team's final event of the regular-season. The Wildcats placed four runners in the Top-25 at the University of Illinois Arboretum in the squad's final tune up for the Big Ten Championships next weekend in Chicago.

Wellman paced the 'Cats 18:56.73 over the 5k course, good for 11th place in a field that included runners from Illinois, Purdue, Bradley, Butler, Eastern Illinois, Loyola and Illinois State. Classmate Ellen Schmitz was the next Northwestern runner across the finish line, securing a 15th place finish in 19:04.11. Freshman Ashley Ko was next at 19:12.38 (23), with senior Mallory Abel right on her heels at 19:13.42 (24).

Despite their top-seven not racing on Friday, Northwestern finished second as a team with 80 points, behind Bradley and ahead of the host Illini.

This weekend Northwestern hosts the 2015 Big Ten Cross Country Championships at Sydney Marovitz Golf Course on Chicago's north side. Admission is free for all spectators with the competition beginning at 10:45 a.m. CT.