Champaign, Ill. – Head Coach Scott Jones's fourth season at helm saw the team's best finish at Big Ten Championships in over five years and the first All-America honor since 2009. Alyssa Schneider's All-American season was cemented at NCAA Championships where she placed 17th overall with a time of 20:09.4. In addition to her national honor, Schneider also garnered First Team All-Big Ten for her third place finish at Big Ten Championships.
The Orange and Blue opened the 2015 slate by winning the Illini Challenge, besting Northern Illinois and Missouri at the UI Arboretum. Alyssa Schneider led the way, winning the meet with a time of 17:43.3, as three other Illini (Petrey, Blazek, and Branch) also cracked the top-10.
The following week, Schneider took home her second straight meet crown, winning the Country Financial ISU invite with a mark of 17:03.9, while senior Britten Petrey placed eighth (18:09.4). As a team, the Illini placed third behind host Illinois State and team champion Loyola.
After a week off, the Fighting Illini notched a nine-place improvement over last season's performance at the Griak Invite. The headliner for the Orange and Blue was once again Schneider who placed fourth (21:27.3) in the elite field with Petrey also finishing in the top-50.
With Schneider nursing an injury, the Illini experienced a set back at Pre-Nationals where the team placed 43rd overall and junior Hanna Winter leading the Illini with a 6K time of 21:30.9.
In their final preparation before Big Ten Championships, Britten Petrey won her first individual crown with a 17:54.21 performance at the Illini Open. Nicole Choquette (12th) and Megan Lemersal (26th) finished second and third for the Illini as the team placed third.
Alyssa Schneider returned to action for postseason play, beginning with Big Ten Championships where she led the Illini to an eighth-place finish, finishing third individually with a mark of 19:58.6. The finish was the best of Schneider's career and earned her First Team All-Big Ten honors. Britten Petrey ran the best Big Ten Championships race of her career, placing 28th overall, while Audrey Blazek, Hanna Winter, Denise Branch, Valerie Bobart, and Megan Lemersal rounded out the team's point scorers.
Two weeks later in Lawrence, Kansas, Schneider qualified for NCAA Championships and earned First Team All-Regional as she was the second runner through the chute with a time of 20:12.8. Valerie Bobart ran her best meet of the season to finish second on the team, while Britten Petrey finished her cross-country career with a 6K mark of 21:39.6.
In her final collegiate competition, Schneider put a bow on her time at Illinois with a 17th place finish at NCAA Championships, easily earning her All-American status. The 20:09.4 was the best finish by an Illini since 2009 when Angela Bizarri won the individual NCAA Championship.
In 2016, Coach Jones will look to seniors Valerie Bobart, Megan Lemersal, Kim Seger and Hanna Winter to fill the absences of Schneider and Petrey as the team strives for improvement at Big Ten Championships.
