DeKALB – First-year cross country head coach Juan Carrillo led the Huskies to a second-place finish at Friday’s Western Illinois Invitation. This marks the second consecutive season NIU has placed second in the season opener. 

Top 10 performances from three veteran runners fueled Friday’s second-place effort. 

UPPERCLASSMAN GAIN THE UPPER HAND

Senior Julia Finegan, graduate Emma Planck and fifth-year Katelyn Robbins led the pack top 15 performance. Finegan was the first Huskie across the finish line, coming in ninth place with a 14:54.7 finish in the 4 kilometer race. 

The next top 15 performers, Finegan and Planck, finished just moments after Robbins, capturing the 10th and 11th positions. Finegan finished with a time of 14:54.7 and Planck came right behind at 14:59.8. 

REST OF THE PACK

The remaining four contestants did not disappoint either, with two top 20 performances to cap off an action-packed contest. 

Junior Joy Jackson and Sophomore Lydia Bauer finished almost simultaneously with two top 20 performances. Jackson secured a 15th-place finish with a time of 15:47.8, while Bauer earned 17th place, clocking in at 16:07.5.  

Senior Carly Leonard and freshman Morgan Gioia were the final pack members to finish, securing the 19th and 20th positions.  

UP NEXT 

The team will have a week off before its upcoming trip to Bowling Green, Ohio, Sept. 15 where they will compete in the Mel Brodt College Open. The start time for the event has not yet been announced.