Full Results
URBANA, Ill. - Fighting Illini women's cross country was dominant in their first meet of the season, with four athletes placing in the meet top-five and finishing with a team score of 19 to place first at the Illini Open Friday night. Junior Rebecca Craddock won the 5K title at the Illini Open, clocking a cross country PR of 16:58.1. Craddock's finish time is the eighth-fastest in Illini program history.
"Today was a solid day," said Illinois head cross country coach Sarah Haveman. "The progress our women's program has made was evident today. They navigated with confidence and poise and worked very well together. They should be very proud of themselves."
The Illini would claim the top-three spots at their lone home meet of the season. Freshman Emma Wilson was stellar in her collegiate debut, timing 17:06.2 to place second. 2018 All-Region runner Madison Marasco finished third on Friday, recording a finish time of 17:20.7.
Also securing a top-five overall finish was sophomore Emma Milburn, who set a new 5K cross country PR with finish time of 17:33.2. Rounding out the Illini scorers was 2018 All-Region honoree Allison McGrath, who timed 17:36.8 to place eighth overall. The Illini scored 34 lower than second-place Purdue, who finished with a score of 53.
In addition to Craddock and Milburn, six more returning Illini set new 5K cross country PR's at the UI Arboretum on Friday. Leading the way was junior Katie Stapleton, who recorded a finish of 17:40.5 to place ninth overall. Sophomore Caroline Fix recorded a PR with her 18:08.3 finish time, which placed her 15th overall.
Redshirt sophomore Mikaela Lucki clocked a new PR finish time of 18:09.1 to place 16th. Sophomore Lauren Katz wasn't far behind, placing 19th with her personal-best finish of 18:21.3. Senior Grace Rogers PR'd with a finish-time of 18:31.5, finishing 22nd. Senior Vanessa Flaherty also timed a PR, finishing with a time of 19:06.8 to place 33rd.
Also racing to top-15 finishes were freshman Olivia Howell and junior Nicki Cast. Howell recorded a finish time of 17:50.6 to place 11th, and Cast timed 18:02.8 to finish 13th.
The Illini will train for the next few weeks before heading to the John McNichols Invite hosted by Indiana State University on Saturday, Sept. 21. The men's 8K is scheduled for 8 a.m. CT, and the women's 5K will follow at 8:45 a.m. CT.
Team Scores:
1. Illinois- 19
2. Purdue- 53
3. Northwestern- 67
4. DePaul- 117
Illinois Results:
1. Rebecca Craddock- 16:58.1
2. Emma Wilson- 17:06.2
3. Madison Marasco- 17:20.7
5. Emma Milburn- 17:33.2
8. Allison McGrath- 17:36.8
9. Katie Stapleton- 17:40.5
11. Olivia Howell- 17:50.6
13. Nicki Cast- 18:02.8
15. Caroline Fix- 18:08.3
16. Mikaela Lucki- 18:09.1
18. Katie Hohe- 18:13.3
19. Lauren Katz- 18:21.3
22. Grace Rogers- 18:31.5
24. Victoria Palma- 18:34.6
33. Vanessa Flaherty- 19:06.8
34. Brianna Lausev- 19:13.7
41. Mikayla Olsen- 19:24.7
48. Christina Pierini- 20:35.3
50. Brooke Delahanty- 20:55.1
For complete coverage of Fighting Illini Cross Country, visit FightingIllini.com, follow the Illini on Twitter (@IlliniTrackXC) and Instagram (illinitrackxc) and like Fighting Illini Track and Field & Cross Country on Facebook.
