Northwestern University Athletics
Saturday, November 22
Columbia, Mo.
9:20 a.m. CT
Northwestern
at
NCAA Championships
Photo by: Gretta Cohoon/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Close Storybook Season With 18th-Place Finish At NCAA Championships
11/22/2025 11:54:00 AM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Northwestern earns program’s top finish in modern era of the meet
COLUMBIA, Mo. (November 22, 2025) – No. 11 Northwestern cross country capped off a historic 2025 campaign on Saturday morning by placing 18th overall at the NCAA Cross Country Championships in Columbia, Mo. The Wildcats' showing marks the program's top finish since the championship field's expansion in 1998.
Competing at the University of Missouri's Gans Creek Cross Country Course, Northwestern totaled a team score of 469 points that saw it edge Big Ten Conference foe No. 27 Washington (472 points) for 18th on the final team leaderboard.
No. 1 North Carolina State (114 points) claimed the national championship, while Alabama's Doris Lemngole secured the individual title in 18:25.4.
The 'Cats were led on a foggy, cool morning in Central Missouri by Skye Ellis, Ava Criniti, and Anna Hightower. Ellis paced the attack, turning in the top 6k showing of her collegiate career. The Jan Juc, Australia native shaved nearly 30 seconds off her previous top time at the distance, as she surged through in 19:50.9 to place 84th overall.
Just under four seconds back of Ellis was Criniti, who closed out an impressive redshirt sophomore campaign with a personal best time of 19:54.8 that saw her come in 91st. Hightower was hot on Criniti's heels, checking in 101st at 19:57.6, a near 19-second personal best at the 6k distance.
Maddy Whitman joined the aforementioned trio in clocking a new personal best, crossing in 20:08.5 (134th). Making her third appearance at the national meet, Ava Earl closed out a decorated cross country career with a time of 20:22.7 (165th) to round out the Wildcats' top five.
Gallery: (11-22-2025) Cross Country at NCAA Championships
Today's showing wraps up an outstanding 2025 season for Northwestern in which the 'Cats climbed to No. 8 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches' Poll, the top national ranking in program history.
The Wildcats notched a pair of team victories before recording standout showings at both the Loyola Lakefront Invitational (2nd) and Nuttycombe Invitational (5th). After posting its top finish at the Big Ten Championships (3rd) in nearly 40 years, Northwestern punched its ticket to the national meet by way of a runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional, where each member of the Wildcats' top five earned USTFCCCA All-Region accolades.
With its cross country slate now complete, Northwestern will turn its attention toward the start of its indoor track campaign in December.
Competing at the University of Missouri's Gans Creek Cross Country Course, Northwestern totaled a team score of 469 points that saw it edge Big Ten Conference foe No. 27 Washington (472 points) for 18th on the final team leaderboard.
Fast 'Cats ??
— Northwestern Athletics (@NU_Sports) November 22, 2025
Northwestern places 18th at the NCAA Championships, the program's top finish of the modern era! pic.twitter.com/tL7erSbjEH
No. 1 North Carolina State (114 points) claimed the national championship, while Alabama's Doris Lemngole secured the individual title in 18:25.4.
The 'Cats were led on a foggy, cool morning in Central Missouri by Skye Ellis, Ava Criniti, and Anna Hightower. Ellis paced the attack, turning in the top 6k showing of her collegiate career. The Jan Juc, Australia native shaved nearly 30 seconds off her previous top time at the distance, as she surged through in 19:50.9 to place 84th overall.
Just under four seconds back of Ellis was Criniti, who closed out an impressive redshirt sophomore campaign with a personal best time of 19:54.8 that saw her come in 91st. Hightower was hot on Criniti's heels, checking in 101st at 19:57.6, a near 19-second personal best at the 6k distance.
Maddy Whitman joined the aforementioned trio in clocking a new personal best, crossing in 20:08.5 (134th). Making her third appearance at the national meet, Ava Earl closed out a decorated cross country career with a time of 20:22.7 (165th) to round out the Wildcats' top five.
Today's showing wraps up an outstanding 2025 season for Northwestern in which the 'Cats climbed to No. 8 in the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches' Poll, the top national ranking in program history.
The Wildcats notched a pair of team victories before recording standout showings at both the Loyola Lakefront Invitational (2nd) and Nuttycombe Invitational (5th). After posting its top finish at the Big Ten Championships (3rd) in nearly 40 years, Northwestern punched its ticket to the national meet by way of a runner-up finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional, where each member of the Wildcats' top five earned USTFCCCA All-Region accolades.
With its cross country slate now complete, Northwestern will turn its attention toward the start of its indoor track campaign in December.
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
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