Cross country is looking to send a runner to the NCAA National Championships for the first time in program history.

Huskies runners can qualify for the national championship at the NCAA Midwest Regional Championships noon Friday in Peoria. A team must finish in the top two at regionals to make the national championship. Runners can qualify if they are a top-four individual finisher not on the winning two teams.

Head coach Greg Hipp said sending a runner or two to the national championship is not a farfetched goal. He also thinks NIU runners earning All-Region honors, which are presented to the top 15 runners, at Bradley University’s regional meet could be accomplished this season.

Hipp’s dynamic duo of freshman Kelsey Hildreth and senior Meghan Heuer have already made program history, notching All-MAC honors at the Nov. 1 MAC Championships. With their record-breaking performances, Hipp doesn’t want to rule out their chances of making the cut.

“Kelsey is in place for that [All-Region honor] based on her performance,” Hipp said. “Meghan is in range of it; she certainly has a shot. There are a lot of good girls, but [for] both of them … that’s realistic.”

The Huskies will only have two of their six runners from the 2013 regionals lineup suited up Friday. They lost two to graduation and junior Ali Olson and redshirt sophomore Leah Raffety have been in and out of the lineup and will not be able to give it a go Friday. Team captain Jamie Burr will also not be running as she has missed all but one race this season nursing a hip injury.

“I think we’ve done things pretty well to get ready,” Hipp said. “Being at our best is really … a matter of just focusing on what we need to do and not letting the external things and the pressures of a championship get in our way, and as long as we focus on what we’re capable of doing and stay in control then this group can do pretty well.”

Aside from Hildreth and Heuer, NIU will also have sophomore Carly Pederson racing in the regional. Junior Hannah Savage will participate in her second race of the season as she returns for the MAC Championships following iliotibial band syndrome.

Redshirt freshman Taylor Perkins and freshman Lorena Martin will round out the Huskies’ top six. They performed well in the 3-mile tune up for regionals Nov. 6 at the North Central Cardinal Open, finishing first and 13th out of 77, respectively.

“The biggest thing I want to see … with the group that we have is that we run to potential and walk away from it knowing the six girls that raced all put together six solid races,” Hipp said. “We just need to focus on being as good as we’re capable of being, and I think they’re going to add up to good team standings.”