Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, January 30
South Bend, Ind.
All Day
Northwestern
at
Meyo Invitational
Photo by: Kailey Zagst/Northwestern Athletics
Hightower, Ellis Shatter Program Records At Meyo Invitational
1/31/2026 7:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track
‘Cats post multiple personal bests across prestigious two-day meet
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (January 31, 2026) – Anna Hightower and Skye Ellis set new program records in their respective events, as Northwestern track enjoyed a banner weekend at the Meyo Invitational in South Bend, Ind.
Competing as part of a deep field in the Meyo Mile, Hightower clocked a 20-second personal best, surging across in 4:36.91 to place fifth overall and move to the top of the program's all-time indoor record board in the event. The Arnhem, Netherlands native's time unofficially ranks seventh in the Big Ten Conference and 30th nationally.
Ellis took down her own school record in the 800m run by three seconds, as she raced through in 2:07.23 to secure a heat victory and the top spot on the final leaderboard in the open section of the event. Out of Jan Juc, Australia, Ellis' effort sits 16th on the Big Ten Conference's 800m run chart.
Olivia Capala came away with a heat victory of her own in the 800m run, finishing in a personal-best 2:12.64 en route to a 12th-place finish.
Maddy Whitman and Ava Criniti dazzled in the premier section of the 3,000m run, both posting new personal bests. Whitman shaved seven seconds off her previous top time, claiming fifth in 9:15.67, while Criniti came in less than two seconds back in eighth at 9:17.24, a four-second personal best.
Gallery: (1-30-2026) Track at Meyo Invitational
Cary Drake kicked off Saturday's slate with a dominant showing in the open section of the 3,000m run, running a 25-second personal best of 9:31.94 to cruise to a heat victory and overall first-place finish. Jaya Simmons (23rd; 10:01.79) and Marley McCullough (24th; 10:02.40) posted new personal bests of their own alongside Drake in the event.
Hightower, Whitman, Drake, and Capala got their weekend off to an early start on Friday evening, joining forces to compete in the distance medley relay. The Wildcat quartet edged Ohio State for third place with a time of 11:14.56 that ranks third in the Big Ten and 11th on the NCAA leaderboard.
Jackie Holman capped off Friday night's action with an impressive performance in the 5,000m run. Holman climbed to third in Wildcat annals in the event after surpassing her previous personal best by 15 seconds with a time of 16:00.60 to place third overall.
In Saturday's preliminary section of the mile run, Mallory Grubb and Allegra Massey checked in with new personal bests, with both members of the duo coming in under five minutes for the first time. Grubb claimed a heat victory in 4:57.47, while Massey ran 4:59.01 to take third in her heat.
Northwestern returns to action in two weeks, when it will send athletes to both the Blue Demon Alumni Classic (Feb. 13) and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational (Feb. 14).
Competing as part of a deep field in the Meyo Mile, Hightower clocked a 20-second personal best, surging across in 4:36.91 to place fifth overall and move to the top of the program's all-time indoor record board in the event. The Arnhem, Netherlands native's time unofficially ranks seventh in the Big Ten Conference and 30th nationally.
Ellis took down her own school record in the 800m run by three seconds, as she raced through in 2:07.23 to secure a heat victory and the top spot on the final leaderboard in the open section of the event. Out of Jan Juc, Australia, Ellis' effort sits 16th on the Big Ten Conference's 800m run chart.
Olivia Capala came away with a heat victory of her own in the 800m run, finishing in a personal-best 2:12.64 en route to a 12th-place finish.
Maddy Whitman and Ava Criniti dazzled in the premier section of the 3,000m run, both posting new personal bests. Whitman shaved seven seconds off her previous top time, claiming fifth in 9:15.67, while Criniti came in less than two seconds back in eighth at 9:17.24, a four-second personal best.
Cary Drake kicked off Saturday's slate with a dominant showing in the open section of the 3,000m run, running a 25-second personal best of 9:31.94 to cruise to a heat victory and overall first-place finish. Jaya Simmons (23rd; 10:01.79) and Marley McCullough (24th; 10:02.40) posted new personal bests of their own alongside Drake in the event.
Hightower, Whitman, Drake, and Capala got their weekend off to an early start on Friday evening, joining forces to compete in the distance medley relay. The Wildcat quartet edged Ohio State for third place with a time of 11:14.56 that ranks third in the Big Ten and 11th on the NCAA leaderboard.
Jackie Holman capped off Friday night's action with an impressive performance in the 5,000m run. Holman climbed to third in Wildcat annals in the event after surpassing her previous personal best by 15 seconds with a time of 16:00.60 to place third overall.
In Saturday's preliminary section of the mile run, Mallory Grubb and Allegra Massey checked in with new personal bests, with both members of the duo coming in under five minutes for the first time. Grubb claimed a heat victory in 4:57.47, while Massey ran 4:59.01 to take third in her heat.
Northwestern returns to action in two weeks, when it will send athletes to both the Blue Demon Alumni Classic (Feb. 13) and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational (Feb. 14).
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
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