2024-25 Women's Cross Country & Track Roster
Earl, Ava
Ava Earl
- Class:
- Senior
- High School:
- South Anchorage High School
- Hometown:
- Girdwood, Alaska
- Major:
- Political Science
Bio
AWARDS AND HONORS:
*Program record
2024-25: (Cross Country): United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) All-Midwest Region selection ... Second Team All-Big Ten Conference ... Scored in all six meets she appeared in ... Was the first Wildcat across the finish line in four of her appearances ... Helped lead Northwestern to the team title at the Big Ten Preview (9/13) following a third-place finish (20:17.3) ... Was victorious at the Bradley Pink Classic (10/18), finishing in 20:14.4 to propel the 'Cats to another team crown ... Clocked 6k personal-best 19:42.2 en route to finishing 14th at the Big Ten Conference Championships (11/1) ... Secured All-Region nod following an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Regional (11/15), where she crossed in 20:03.8 ... USTFCCCA All-Academic Team selection (Indoor): Did not compete. (Outdoor): Did not compete.
2023-24: (Cross Country): United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) All-Midwest Region selection ... Opened season with a third-place finish (18:03.8) at the Badger Classic (9/9) ... Ran 5k personal-best 17:20.2 (66th) at the Virginia Invitational (9/23) ... Took 66th (21:13.7) at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational (9/29) ... Ran 22:54.3 (74th) at the Big Ten Championships (10/27) ... Punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships by virtue of an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Regionals (11/10), where she earned All-Region honors after finishing in 20:42.3 ... Turned in 6k personal-best 20:24.9 to finish 64th at the NCAA Championships (11/18), the second-best individual placement by a Wildcat in program history ... USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honoree ... College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District pick. (Indoor): Kicked off indoor slate with a victory in the mile run at the Aurora Grand Prix (1/19), crossing in 4:42.74 ... Closed season with back-to-back personal bests in the 3,000m run ... Earned runner-up finish (9:05.65) at the UW Invitational ... Shaved just under a second off that time at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational (2/9), surging through in 9:04.68 (19th). (Outdoor): Set school records in each of her three outdoor appearances ... Shattered 5,000m run mark with a time of 15:46.51 (8th) at the Raleigh Relays (3/28) ... Crushed 1,500m run record en route to victory (4:24.05) at the Gary Weineke Memorial (4/13) ... Finished year by breaking her own 5,000m run record at the Penn Relays (4/25), finishing second overall in 15:42.72.
2022-23: (Cross Country): Ran a personal best in the 6km with a time of 20:38.9 at the Bradley Pink Classic (10/14) ... Finished fifth among Northwestern runners in the 6km at the Big Ten Championships (10/28) ... Earned a top-200 time in the 6km at the NCAA Championships (11/19). (Indoor): Set a personal best in the 3000m with a time of 9:25.64 at the Valentine Invite (2/10-11) ... Earned personal bests in the mile (4:46.91) and 800m (2:12.89) at the Margaret Bradley Invitational, setting a program record in the latter (2/18). (Outdoor): Established a new personal best in the 5000m with a time of 16:25.18 at the Raleigh Relays, the fourth best time in the event in program history (3/23-25) ... Ran a new personal best with a time of 4:34.74 in the 1500m at the Fighting Illini Challenge (4/8)... 30th overall in the 5000m at Raleigh Relays with a time of 16:25.18, 4th best program history... 9th overall in 1500m at Illini Challenge, PR with 4:34.74 (4/8)... Ran a 16:19.34 at the Mt. SAC Relays, third best in program history(4/13)... finished with a 16:33.25 in the 5000m at Drake Relays (4/28).
2021-22: (Cross Country): Opened collegiate career at the Hawkeye Invitational 4km, recording a time of 15:00.7 (9/3). (Indoor): Opened collegiate indoor career winning the Gene Edmonds Invitational 3000m in a time of 9:57.64 (1/8) ... Placed 9th in the Mile at the Michigan Invitational, recording a time of 5:02.21 (1/22) ... Ran a PB time of 9:38.35 in the 3000m at the 2022 Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic (1/28) ... Placed 3rd in the Mile at the St. Valentines Open, recording a PB time of 4:58.42 (2/18). (Outdoor): Opened collegiate outdoor career in the Raleigh Relays 5000m, recording a time of 17:19.31 (4/24) ... Placed 5th in the 5000m at the Bryan Clay Invitational recording a time of 16:54.72 (4/14) ... Raced in the 5000m and 4x1600m at Drake relays, winning the 5000m in a PB time of 16:49.71 and helping the team place 7th in a team time of 20:03.32 in the 4x1600m (4/28-30).
WHY NORTHWESTERN?
I was really impressed by Coaches Jill and Connor and their commitment to keeping us healthy. I also was excited to push myself academically while getting the opportunity to test my athletic limits!
GET TO KNOW AVA OFF THE COURSE:
What are you studying? Any career goals? Studying Political Science (Major) and Critical Theory (Minor); ideal career is to be a self-sustaining touring musician :)
What do you love about Northwestern Cross Country? The team atmosphere and environment. Everyone is doing their best but also super invested in our success as a team, which is really inspiring.
Favorite memory of Northwestern Cross Country? Getting snowed in at our hotel in Boston! We had a powerpoint night and a lot of fun joking with/at each other and it brought us a lot closer.
What do you love about running? I like being able to work toward a goal and pushing my athletic boundaries. I think that running competitively makes me a more focused human and has taught me a lot about who I am and what is important to me (it’s not always about winning, mostly for me it’s about how I will get to where I want to be).
What hobbies do you enjoy? I’m a singer-songwriter! I also like to draw and watercolor, read, and hike.
- 2023 National Championship Individual Qualifier
- 3x USTFCCCA Midwest All-Region (2022, 2023, 2024)
- Second Team All-Big Ten (2024)
- 3x USTFCCCA All-Academic Team (2022, 2023, 2024)
- College Sports Communicators Academic All-District (2023-24)
- 3x Academic All-Big Ten (2022, 2023, 2024)
| PB’s | TIME | DATE |
| 4K (XC) | 15:00.7 | 9/3/21 (Hawkeye Invitational) |
| 5K (XC) | 17:20.2 | 9/23/23 (Virginia Invitational) |
| 6K (XC) | 19:42.2 | 11/1/24 (Big Ten Championships) |
| 800m (Indoor) | 2:12.89 | 2/18/23 (Margaret Bradley Invitational) |
| Mile (Indoor) | 4:42.74 | 1/19/24 (Aurora Grand Prix) |
| 3,000m (Indoor) | 9:04.68 | 2/9/24 (David Hemery Valentine Invitational) |
| 1,500m (Outdoor) | 4:24.05 | 4/13/24 (Gary Wieneke Memorial) |
| 5,000m (Outdoor) | 15:42.72* | 4/25/24 (Penn Relays) |
2024-25: (Cross Country): United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) All-Midwest Region selection ... Second Team All-Big Ten Conference ... Scored in all six meets she appeared in ... Was the first Wildcat across the finish line in four of her appearances ... Helped lead Northwestern to the team title at the Big Ten Preview (9/13) following a third-place finish (20:17.3) ... Was victorious at the Bradley Pink Classic (10/18), finishing in 20:14.4 to propel the 'Cats to another team crown ... Clocked 6k personal-best 19:42.2 en route to finishing 14th at the Big Ten Conference Championships (11/1) ... Secured All-Region nod following an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Regional (11/15), where she crossed in 20:03.8 ... USTFCCCA All-Academic Team selection (Indoor): Did not compete. (Outdoor): Did not compete.
2023-24: (Cross Country): United States Track & Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCCA) All-Midwest Region selection ... Opened season with a third-place finish (18:03.8) at the Badger Classic (9/9) ... Ran 5k personal-best 17:20.2 (66th) at the Virginia Invitational (9/23) ... Took 66th (21:13.7) at the Loyola Lakefront Invitational (9/29) ... Ran 22:54.3 (74th) at the Big Ten Championships (10/27) ... Punched her ticket to the NCAA Championships by virtue of an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Midwest Regionals (11/10), where she earned All-Region honors after finishing in 20:42.3 ... Turned in 6k personal-best 20:24.9 to finish 64th at the NCAA Championships (11/18), the second-best individual placement by a Wildcat in program history ... USTFCCCA All-Academic Team honoree ... College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District pick. (Indoor): Kicked off indoor slate with a victory in the mile run at the Aurora Grand Prix (1/19), crossing in 4:42.74 ... Closed season with back-to-back personal bests in the 3,000m run ... Earned runner-up finish (9:05.65) at the UW Invitational ... Shaved just under a second off that time at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational (2/9), surging through in 9:04.68 (19th). (Outdoor): Set school records in each of her three outdoor appearances ... Shattered 5,000m run mark with a time of 15:46.51 (8th) at the Raleigh Relays (3/28) ... Crushed 1,500m run record en route to victory (4:24.05) at the Gary Weineke Memorial (4/13) ... Finished year by breaking her own 5,000m run record at the Penn Relays (4/25), finishing second overall in 15:42.72.
2022-23: (Cross Country): Ran a personal best in the 6km with a time of 20:38.9 at the Bradley Pink Classic (10/14) ... Finished fifth among Northwestern runners in the 6km at the Big Ten Championships (10/28) ... Earned a top-200 time in the 6km at the NCAA Championships (11/19). (Indoor): Set a personal best in the 3000m with a time of 9:25.64 at the Valentine Invite (2/10-11) ... Earned personal bests in the mile (4:46.91) and 800m (2:12.89) at the Margaret Bradley Invitational, setting a program record in the latter (2/18). (Outdoor): Established a new personal best in the 5000m with a time of 16:25.18 at the Raleigh Relays, the fourth best time in the event in program history (3/23-25) ... Ran a new personal best with a time of 4:34.74 in the 1500m at the Fighting Illini Challenge (4/8)... 30th overall in the 5000m at Raleigh Relays with a time of 16:25.18, 4th best program history... 9th overall in 1500m at Illini Challenge, PR with 4:34.74 (4/8)... Ran a 16:19.34 at the Mt. SAC Relays, third best in program history(4/13)... finished with a 16:33.25 in the 5000m at Drake Relays (4/28).
2021-22: (Cross Country): Opened collegiate career at the Hawkeye Invitational 4km, recording a time of 15:00.7 (9/3). (Indoor): Opened collegiate indoor career winning the Gene Edmonds Invitational 3000m in a time of 9:57.64 (1/8) ... Placed 9th in the Mile at the Michigan Invitational, recording a time of 5:02.21 (1/22) ... Ran a PB time of 9:38.35 in the 3000m at the 2022 Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic (1/28) ... Placed 3rd in the Mile at the St. Valentines Open, recording a PB time of 4:58.42 (2/18). (Outdoor): Opened collegiate outdoor career in the Raleigh Relays 5000m, recording a time of 17:19.31 (4/24) ... Placed 5th in the 5000m at the Bryan Clay Invitational recording a time of 16:54.72 (4/14) ... Raced in the 5000m and 4x1600m at Drake relays, winning the 5000m in a PB time of 16:49.71 and helping the team place 7th in a team time of 20:03.32 in the 4x1600m (4/28-30).
WHY NORTHWESTERN?
I was really impressed by Coaches Jill and Connor and their commitment to keeping us healthy. I also was excited to push myself academically while getting the opportunity to test my athletic limits!
GET TO KNOW AVA OFF THE COURSE:
What are you studying? Any career goals? Studying Political Science (Major) and Critical Theory (Minor); ideal career is to be a self-sustaining touring musician :)
What do you love about Northwestern Cross Country? The team atmosphere and environment. Everyone is doing their best but also super invested in our success as a team, which is really inspiring.
Favorite memory of Northwestern Cross Country? Getting snowed in at our hotel in Boston! We had a powerpoint night and a lot of fun joking with/at each other and it brought us a lot closer.
What do you love about running? I like being able to work toward a goal and pushing my athletic boundaries. I think that running competitively makes me a more focused human and has taught me a lot about who I am and what is important to me (it’s not always about winning, mostly for me it’s about how I will get to where I want to be).
What hobbies do you enjoy? I’m a singer-songwriter! I also like to draw and watercolor, read, and hike.
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