Dec. 1, 2007

GUELPH, Ontario - Freshman Danelle Woods of the Fighting Illini women's cross country team took third place at the 2007 Junior Canadian Cross Country Championships on Saturday, Dec. 1, in Guelph, Ontario.

Woods, the defending champion from the 2006 championships and a stand-out newcomer for the Illini, finished the 5K race in a time of 17:29.01. Fellow Illinois freshman Chantelle Groenewoud finished 13th overall in a time of 18:12.1.

"The conditions they ran in today were something they haven't experienced all year," cross country coach Jeremy Rasmussen said. "The course was covered in snow and temperatures were very low, but they both got into the race and ran well. This race was not something they started training for until later in our regular season, so the main goal was to get more experience and be able to have a chance to represent their home country in one of the two championships races. Since they are both in the pool for those, both are very pleased with how they ran."

Woods, with her third-place finish, qualifies for the 2008 NACAC Cross Country Championships and the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. Groenewoud, finishing 13th overall, has a chance to compete in the NACAC Championships as well.

The 2008 IAAF World Championships will take place on March 30, 2008 in Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, Great Britain, while the 2008 NACAC Championships will take place in early March at an undetermined site.

Illinois results:
3) Danelle Woods		17:29.0
13) Chantelle Groenewoud	18:12.1