Northwestern track secured three event titles and broke two program records in a strong performance at the Chicagoland Championships on Friday.
Skye Ellis and Cary Drake were the stars in Elmhurst, Illinois, as both etched themselves into the NU history books with historic races. Ellis had already broken the school’s top 1,500-meter mark in May of last season, and surpassed her own record by a full two seconds with a 4:17.24 time in this contest. Ellis was one of four Wildcats to earn a top-10 finish
in this race. Anna Hightower finished with the second-fastest time in program history and was on Ellis’ heels to earn second place in the 1,500m. Jackie Holman took fourth place, while Maddy Whitman finished in ninth, setting a personal record with a 4:36:22 time.
Meanwhile, Drake impressed in her first 3,000-meter steeplechase outing of her career, making her race count in a record-setting way. The redshirt freshman clocked a historic 10:29.96 time that also earned her first place in the event. Mallory Grubb also put together an impressive performance with a 10:43.74, a time good for third-fastest in Northwestern history. Her running in Elmhurst showcased the senior’s development in this race, as she shaved off 44 seconds from her previous competition.
The third Wildcat to win an event was Kailey Zagst, who finished first in the 5,000-meter competition with a 16:59.83 mark. Other noteworthy runs came from freshmen Katherine Kilmek and Marley McCullough, who both set personal records.
The Wildcats will have a busy schedule next weekend, as they’ll travel to California for the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 16, before making a quick trip the following day to Indiana for the Gibson Invitational.
