Niki Rhyan left the Northwestern cross country team following her freshman season.

2012: Ran in one meet as a freshman, running as an unattached entrant in the Northern Illinois Invitational and posting a 5K time of 19:29.7.

High School: Four-year letterwinner in cross country and track, qualifying for state cross country meet all four years with a personal-best 4K time of 15:00 ... First-team All-Eastern Wisconsin Conference performer, winning both conference and sectional championships ... Also an all-area honoree in cross country ... Cross country team won sectional and conference championships ... Named team MVP in cross country and track ... Two-sport captain ... State medalist in 1,600-meter race with a time of 5:04 ... Also lettered in Nordic cross country skiing ... Class valedictorian and National Honor Society member.

Personal: Born Nicola Erin Rhyan ... Daughter of Karen and Mark Rhyan ... Finished in the top 25 percent of the field in the American Birkebeiner Kortelopet, a 23-kilometer cross country ski race ... Chose Northwestern over Notre Dame and Wisconsin ... Major is undecided.