Northwestern University Athletics
Thursday, May 28
Fayetteville, Ark.
All Day
Northwestern
at
NCAA West Preliminary
Photo by: Sadie Rucker
Hightower Leads ‘Cats On Final Day Of NCAA West Preliminary
5/30/2026 10:05:00 PM | Women's Cross Country & Track
Graduate student runs new personal best in 3,000m steeplechase
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (May 30, 2026) – Anna Hightower turned in a gritty effort, battling temperatures in the mid-80s as she clocked a new 3,000m steeplechase personal best to lead Northwestern track on the final day of the NCAA West Preliminary this evening in Fayetteville, Ark.
Making only her third career appearance in the event, Hightower surged to a sixth-place finish in her heat, running a near four-second personal best of 10:10.88 at the University of Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. The time saw the Arnhem, Netherlands product fall just under three-quarters of a second shy of securing a berth to the national semifinals.
Gallery: (5-28-2026) Track at NCAA West Preliminary
Competing in the heat preceding Hightower, Cary Drake closed out a breakout redshirt first-year season with a time of 10:28.34 to take eighth. Out of York, Maine, Drake, the current program record holder, is primed to return as one of the Big Ten Conference's favorites in the event next season following a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
Skye Ellis capped off her season in the 1,500m run quarterfinals. Less than 48 hours removed from advancing through the event's opening round, Ellis posted a time of 4:17.59 to finish ninth in her heat and 18th overall. This evening's performance rounds out an impressive outdoor campaign for the Jan Juc, Australia native in which she broke her own 1,500m run program record on a pair of occasions ahead of taking seventh in the event earlier this month at the outdoor league meet.
Like Ellis, Ava Criniti returned to the track for the second time during Northwestern's stay in the Natural State. After competing in the 10,000m run semifinals on Thursday evening, the Lexington, Mass. native finished 13th in the opening section of the 5,000m run, as she battled through the heat to check in at 16:10.79.
Northwestern enjoyed a banner 2026 outdoor track season, setting four new program records in addition to multiple all-time top-10 performances. The Wildcats will now turn their attention towards the start of their cross country season in the fall.
Making only her third career appearance in the event, Hightower surged to a sixth-place finish in her heat, running a near four-second personal best of 10:10.88 at the University of Arkansas' John McDonnell Field. The time saw the Arnhem, Netherlands product fall just under three-quarters of a second shy of securing a berth to the national semifinals.
Competing in the heat preceding Hightower, Cary Drake closed out a breakout redshirt first-year season with a time of 10:28.34 to take eighth. Out of York, Maine, Drake, the current program record holder, is primed to return as one of the Big Ten Conference's favorites in the event next season following a fifth-place finish at the Big Ten Outdoor Championships.
Skye Ellis capped off her season in the 1,500m run quarterfinals. Less than 48 hours removed from advancing through the event's opening round, Ellis posted a time of 4:17.59 to finish ninth in her heat and 18th overall. This evening's performance rounds out an impressive outdoor campaign for the Jan Juc, Australia native in which she broke her own 1,500m run program record on a pair of occasions ahead of taking seventh in the event earlier this month at the outdoor league meet.
Like Ellis, Ava Criniti returned to the track for the second time during Northwestern's stay in the Natural State. After competing in the 10,000m run semifinals on Thursday evening, the Lexington, Mass. native finished 13th in the opening section of the 5,000m run, as she battled through the heat to check in at 16:10.79.
Northwestern enjoyed a banner 2026 outdoor track season, setting four new program records in addition to multiple all-time top-10 performances. The Wildcats will now turn their attention towards the start of their cross country season in the fall.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
/ Women's Cross Country & Track
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