Northwestern University Athletics
Friday, May 15
Lincoln, Neb.
All Day
Northwestern
at
Big Ten Outdoor Championships
Photo by: Kailey Zagst/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Begins Postseason Action At Big Ten Outdoor Championships
5/14/2026 12:00:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track
‘Cats open competition in Lincoln, Neb. on Friday evening
EVANSTON, Ill. (May 14, 2026) – Following an outdoor regular season filled with multiple standout performances, Northwestern track will raise the curtain on its postseason slate this weekend at the Big Ten Conference Outdoor Championships in Lincoln, Neb. The Wildcats are set to compete at the outdoor league meet for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Northwestern will begin its three-day stay at the University of Nebraska's Outdoor Track & Field Complex on Friday evening with action in the 1,500m run preliminaries and 10,000m run finals. Saturday's slate features preliminary action in the 800m run, in addition to the 3,000m steeplechase finals. Event finals in the 800m run and 1,500m run highlight Sunday's final day of competition, which also includes the 5,000m run finals.
B1G+ will provide coverage of all three days of action. Sunday's action will air live on Big Ten Network beginning at 12:30 p.m. CT. Links to watch and follow live results can be accessed above.
Cary Drake enters the weekend as the top Wildcat on the Big Ten Conference leaderboard, sitting second in the 3,000m steeplechase. Drake shattered her own program record just under two weeks ago at the Badger Challenge, clocking a 25-second personal best time of 10:04.15 that vaulted her to 10th in the NCAA West Region. Anna Hightower also looks poised to put points on the board for the 'Cats in the event. Running alongside Drake earlier this month, Hightower posted the seventh-fastest time in the Big Ten this season, finishing in 10:14.57.
In addition to the 3,000m steeplechase, Hightower is also slated to compete in the 5,000m run finals, an event in which she owns the Big Ten's ninth-fastest time of 15:46.72 that was recorded at last month's Bryan Clay Invitational.
Ava Criniti enters the postseason boasting Northwestern's top 10,000m run showing. Criniti, who will also compete in the 5,000m run, opened the outdoor campaign with a time of 33:19.10 that sits eighth on the league leaderboard and 28th regionally.
Skye Ellis enters the postseason on a tear, with back-to-back program record performances in the 1,500m run to her name. Ellis notched a near three-second personal best at the Badger Challenge, where she crossed in 4:14.55, a time that saw her ascend to 31st in the NCAA West Region.
Olivia Capala looks to add another chapter to an impressive first-year campaign in the 800m run. Capala has set a new program record in the event in each of her three appearances this outdoor season, most recently clocking a time of 2:09.45 at the Badger Challenge.
Following the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Northwestern will shift its focus to the NCAA West Preliminary, May 27-30, in Fayetteville, Ark.
Northwestern will begin its three-day stay at the University of Nebraska's Outdoor Track & Field Complex on Friday evening with action in the 1,500m run preliminaries and 10,000m run finals. Saturday's slate features preliminary action in the 800m run, in addition to the 3,000m steeplechase finals. Event finals in the 800m run and 1,500m run highlight Sunday's final day of competition, which also includes the 5,000m run finals.
B1G+ will provide coverage of all three days of action. Sunday's action will air live on Big Ten Network beginning at 12:30 p.m. CT. Links to watch and follow live results can be accessed above.
Cary Drake enters the weekend as the top Wildcat on the Big Ten Conference leaderboard, sitting second in the 3,000m steeplechase. Drake shattered her own program record just under two weeks ago at the Badger Challenge, clocking a 25-second personal best time of 10:04.15 that vaulted her to 10th in the NCAA West Region. Anna Hightower also looks poised to put points on the board for the 'Cats in the event. Running alongside Drake earlier this month, Hightower posted the seventh-fastest time in the Big Ten this season, finishing in 10:14.57.
In addition to the 3,000m steeplechase, Hightower is also slated to compete in the 5,000m run finals, an event in which she owns the Big Ten's ninth-fastest time of 15:46.72 that was recorded at last month's Bryan Clay Invitational.
Ava Criniti enters the postseason boasting Northwestern's top 10,000m run showing. Criniti, who will also compete in the 5,000m run, opened the outdoor campaign with a time of 33:19.10 that sits eighth on the league leaderboard and 28th regionally.
Skye Ellis enters the postseason on a tear, with back-to-back program record performances in the 1,500m run to her name. Ellis notched a near three-second personal best at the Badger Challenge, where she crossed in 4:14.55, a time that saw her ascend to 31st in the NCAA West Region.
Olivia Capala looks to add another chapter to an impressive first-year campaign in the 800m run. Capala has set a new program record in the event in each of her three appearances this outdoor season, most recently clocking a time of 2:09.45 at the Badger Challenge.
Following the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Northwestern will shift its focus to the NCAA West Preliminary, May 27-30, in Fayetteville, Ark.
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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