Friday, September 6
Madison, Wis.
4 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
Badger Classic
Photo by: Scott Walstrom/NIU Athletics
‘Cats Put Trio In Top 10 At Huskie Opener
9/6/2024 7:04:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Northwestern returns to action at Big Ten Conference Preview on September 13
DeKALB, Ill. (September 6, 2024) – Whitney Currie placed fourth overall, leading a trio of Wildcats inside the top 10, as Northwestern opened its 2024 season this evening at the Huskie Opener in DeKalb, Ill.
Competing in the 5k race at the North 40 Championships Cross Country Course, the 'Cats compiled a team score of 43 to earn a runner-up finish in the team standings, trailing only DePaul (29 points). Western Illinois (65 points) finished third.
Currie was the first Wildcat across the finish line tonight, running 18:34.98 to finish fourth overall. The Grand Rapids, Mich. native's time was just five seconds shy of her 5k personal best of 18:29.2, which was set back on October 1, 2021 at the Joe Piane Invitational.
Appearing in only her second collegiate cross country 5k race, Serena Frolli set a new personal best, checking in seventh at 18:54.17, an 11-second improvement from her previous top effort. Mia Mraz set a new personal best of her own as well, shaving 23 seconds off her last 5k outing to cross in 19:07.30 en route to claiming ninth place.
Audrey Bannister (12th; 19:10.44) and Mallory Grubb (16th; 19:47.63) posted new personal bests in rounding out the Wildcats' top five, while Lydia Sommer came through in 20:36.88 (24th) in her collegiate 5k debut.
A select group of Wildcats ran a controlled effort in Madison, Wis. at the Badger Classic on the Zimmer Championship Course, which Northwestern will see again at the Nuttycombe Invitational on Friday, September 27. The course will also play host to the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 23.
"We went to Wisconsin today to get on the Zimmer (Championship) Course prior to the Nuttycombe Invitational," Northwestern head cross country coach Jill Miller commented. "It was great to see that group run a controlled effort to learn the course in hopes of being better prepared to see many of the top teams in the country in three weeks."
Making her first appearance with the 'Cats, Holly Smith led the Northwestern attack, placing seventh overall in the women's 6k race with a time of 21:16.5. Chloe Wellings, another Wildcat debutant, crossed in 21:40.6 to take 13th. The pairing of Maddy Whitman (21:44.9) and Ava Criniti (21:44.9) finished 14th and 15th, respectively. Ava Earl rounded out the Wildcat top five in 17th (21:49.8), with Skye Ellis (19th; 21:52.7) and Katherine Hessler (20th; 21:57.1) also earning top-20 finishes.
Northwestern is back in action on Friday, September 13 when it treks south to Champaign, Ill. for the Big Ten Conference Preview.
Competing in the 5k race at the North 40 Championships Cross Country Course, the 'Cats compiled a team score of 43 to earn a runner-up finish in the team standings, trailing only DePaul (29 points). Western Illinois (65 points) finished third.
Currie was the first Wildcat across the finish line tonight, running 18:34.98 to finish fourth overall. The Grand Rapids, Mich. native's time was just five seconds shy of her 5k personal best of 18:29.2, which was set back on October 1, 2021 at the Joe Piane Invitational.
Appearing in only her second collegiate cross country 5k race, Serena Frolli set a new personal best, checking in seventh at 18:54.17, an 11-second improvement from her previous top effort. Mia Mraz set a new personal best of her own as well, shaving 23 seconds off her last 5k outing to cross in 19:07.30 en route to claiming ninth place.
Audrey Bannister (12th; 19:10.44) and Mallory Grubb (16th; 19:47.63) posted new personal bests in rounding out the Wildcats' top five, while Lydia Sommer came through in 20:36.88 (24th) in her collegiate 5k debut.
A select group of Wildcats ran a controlled effort in Madison, Wis. at the Badger Classic on the Zimmer Championship Course, which Northwestern will see again at the Nuttycombe Invitational on Friday, September 27. The course will also play host to the 2024 NCAA Cross Country Championships on Saturday, November 23.
"We went to Wisconsin today to get on the Zimmer (Championship) Course prior to the Nuttycombe Invitational," Northwestern head cross country coach Jill Miller commented. "It was great to see that group run a controlled effort to learn the course in hopes of being better prepared to see many of the top teams in the country in three weeks."
Making her first appearance with the 'Cats, Holly Smith led the Northwestern attack, placing seventh overall in the women's 6k race with a time of 21:16.5. Chloe Wellings, another Wildcat debutant, crossed in 21:40.6 to take 13th. The pairing of Maddy Whitman (21:44.9) and Ava Criniti (21:44.9) finished 14th and 15th, respectively. Ava Earl rounded out the Wildcat top five in 17th (21:49.8), with Skye Ellis (19th; 21:52.7) and Katherine Hessler (20th; 21:57.1) also earning top-20 finishes.
Northwestern is back in action on Friday, September 13 when it treks south to Champaign, Ill. for the Big Ten Conference Preview.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
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