Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, February 26
Indianapolis, Ind.
All Day
Northwestern
vs
Big Ten Indoor Championships
Photo by: Kallan Graybill/Northwestern Athletics
‘Cats Secure Four Podium Finishes In Return To Big Ten Indoor Championships
2/28/2026 5:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Ellis, Distance Medley Relay earn fourth-place showings
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (February 28, 2026) – Making its return to the Big Ten Indoor Championships for the first time since 1988, Northwestern track recorded four podium finishes across its three-day stay in Indianapolis, Ind.
The Wildcats totaled 15 points to finish 13th in the final team standings. Oregon (101 points) outdistanced Illinois (93 points) for the women's team title.
Gallery: (2-26-2026) Track at Big Ten Indoor Championships
On the individual front, Skye Ellis led the way for Northwestern with back-to-back standout efforts in the mile run. In Saturday's preliminary action, Ellis ran a two-second personal best, posting a time of 4:38.16, the second-fastest in program history, to earn a runner-up finish in her heat and automatically punch her ticket to Sunday's final.
The Jan Juc, Australia native put together another outstanding showing only 24 hours later, using an impressive final surge down the homestretch to finish fourth overall in 4:40.71.
Cary Drake joined Ellis in clocking a new personal best in Saturday's preliminary heats, where she turned in a time of 4:46.80.
Ellis and Drake opened the conference meet on Thursday evening by joining forces with Anna Hightower and Olivia Capala in the distance medley relay. The Wildcat quartet turned in its top showing of the season in the event, running a scintillating 10:58.21 en route to a fourth-place finish.
The duo of Ava Criniti and Maddy Whitman kicked off the scoring for Northwestern in Thursday's 5,000m run finals. Running in the event's second section, Criniti battled to a sixth-place finish in 15:58.40, while Whitman came in just behind in seventh after notching a personal-best 16:03.35.
In the Wildcats' final event of the weekend, Hightower led Northwestern in the 3,000m run finals, finishing ninth overall in 9:16.12. Jackie Holman was hot on her heels, racing through in 9:17.52 to place 10th. Criniti won the event's opening section, where she clocked in at 9:18.50 to ultimately take 12th place.
Northwestern will now turn its attention toward the start of its outdoor track schedule in late March.
The Wildcats totaled 15 points to finish 13th in the final team standings. Oregon (101 points) outdistanced Illinois (93 points) for the women's team title.
On the individual front, Skye Ellis led the way for Northwestern with back-to-back standout efforts in the mile run. In Saturday's preliminary action, Ellis ran a two-second personal best, posting a time of 4:38.16, the second-fastest in program history, to earn a runner-up finish in her heat and automatically punch her ticket to Sunday's final.
The Jan Juc, Australia native put together another outstanding showing only 24 hours later, using an impressive final surge down the homestretch to finish fourth overall in 4:40.71.
Cary Drake joined Ellis in clocking a new personal best in Saturday's preliminary heats, where she turned in a time of 4:46.80.
Ellis and Drake opened the conference meet on Thursday evening by joining forces with Anna Hightower and Olivia Capala in the distance medley relay. The Wildcat quartet turned in its top showing of the season in the event, running a scintillating 10:58.21 en route to a fourth-place finish.
The duo of Ava Criniti and Maddy Whitman kicked off the scoring for Northwestern in Thursday's 5,000m run finals. Running in the event's second section, Criniti battled to a sixth-place finish in 15:58.40, while Whitman came in just behind in seventh after notching a personal-best 16:03.35.
In the Wildcats' final event of the weekend, Hightower led Northwestern in the 3,000m run finals, finishing ninth overall in 9:16.12. Jackie Holman was hot on her heels, racing through in 9:17.52 to place 10th. Criniti won the event's opening section, where she clocked in at 9:18.50 to ultimately take 12th place.
Northwestern will now turn its attention toward the start of its outdoor track schedule in late March.
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
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