Megan O'Brien

Class:
Senior
High School:
Lockport
Hometown:
Homer Glen, Ill.

2015 (Cross Country): Ran in three events as a senior ... Finished the 4K Badger Season Opener (Sept. 4) in 16:33.1, good for sixth-best on the day for NU ... Her best 5K finish came at the Notre Dame Invitational (Oct. 2) with a time of 19:14.7 ... Also ran in the Roy Griak Invitational (Sept. 26) ... Academic All-Big Ten.

2015 (Track): Ran the 5,000m race at the John Mitchell Alabama Relays (March 19-21) in 18:43.76 … Had a strong 3,000m race at the Alex Wilson Invitational (Feb. 21), coming in at 10:27.92 … Ran the 5,000m event at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet (Feb. 13) in 17:48.79 … Finished the 3,000m race at the Meyo Invitational (Feb. 6-7) in 10:22.43.

2014: Competed in six races ... Posted her best 5K time of 18:38.5 at the Notre Dame Invitational, good for seventh among Wildcats (Oct. 3) ... Recorded her best 6K time of 22:49.3 at the Big Ten Championships, finishing eighth on the team and 106th overall (Nov. 2) ... Third among NU runners at the 5K Lucian Rosa Invite with a time of 18:53 ... Academic All-Big Ten.

2013: Raced in eight meets ... Earned her first trip to the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships and recorded a season-low 6K time of 22:03.8, placing sixth on the team and 97th in the field (Nov. 15) ... Also was part of the NU lineup at the Big Ten Championships where she was sixth among 'Cats in 22:41.9 ... Posted a season-best 5K time of 18:19.1 at the UW-Parkside Lucian Rosa Invitational, placing third for the Wildcats and 12th overall (Oct. 12) ... Academic All-Big Ten.

2012: Ran in three meets as a freshman, debuting at season-opening Huskie Open and placing ninth among Wildcats with a 5K time of 18:28 ... First 6K event came the following week at Spartan Invite, where she recorded a time of 22:47 ... Strong effort at 5K Loyola Lakefront Invitational, where she was the second Wildcat across the line in 18:14.

High School: Lettered all four years in cross country and track, earning all-state honors in cross country three times ... Placed as high as fifth in the IHSA 3A state cross country meet and twice placed 15th ... Also a two-time all-state performer in track, taking fourth and eighth in the 3,200 in 2010 and 2011, respectively ... Team captain in both sports and a three-time MVP of her cross country team ... Holds the indoor (11:06) and outdoor (10:46) Lockport school records for the 3,200 ... Member of National Honor Society.

Personal: Born Megan Ryan O'Brien ... Daughter of Therese and Tom O'Brien ... Chose Northwestern over Alabama, Butler, Ole Miss and Loyola Marymount ... Majoring in journalism.