NAPERVILLE --- The 2025 CCIW women’s cross country season is off to a strong start, with teams delivering impressive performances in early meets. Illinois Wesleyan and Millikin have led the way with dominant showings, while Elmhurst, Wheaton, North Central and Augustana posted solid finishes against competitive fields. 
 
Freshmen and returning runners alike have contributed to fast times and tight team results, setting the stage for an exciting season of conference competition.
 
Record Run: Crabtree Ignites IWU
Illinois Wesleyan began the 2025 season with a dominant performance at the Titan Opener on Aug. 29, claiming the team title in a small field. IWU secured 14 of the top 16 finishes in the event … At the Redbird Invitational on Sept. 12, the Titans achieved a fifth-place finish competing against a majority Division I field.
 
Adriana Crabtree secured her third career win and broke a school record at the Redbird Invitational on Sept. 12, clocking a 21:32.3 in the women's 6k race. The performance, fastest in the CCIW this fall, placed her 10 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher and nearly a minute faster than the closest Division III competitor … Crabtree also claimed an individual victory at the season-opening Titan Opener on Aug. 29, completing the two-mile race in 12:21.30. This marked her second career win and spearheaded a dominant showing where Illinois Wesleyan runners captured the top seven spots.
 
Freshman Alexia Spatz also delivered a strong performance at the Titan Opener, finishing second with a time of 12:24.90, just behind Crabtree. She also had a notable debut in her first collegiate 6k race at the Redbird Invitational, placing 35th with a time of 23:29.5 … Senior Brooke Nazos earned a fourth-place finish at the Titan Opener with a time of 13:00.30. At the more competitive Redbird Invitational, she placed 51st in the 6k race, clocking in at 24:36.5.
 
Bluejays Flying High to Start Season
Elmhurst opened the campaign with a strong showing at the North Park Invite on Aug. 29, placing second in the team standings. The Bluejays accumulated 53 points, trailing only Division I Loyola Chicago, and placed five runners within the top 20 … The Bluejays continued their success at the NCCXC Invitational on Sept. 5, earning runner-up honors with 44 points. All five scoring runners finished inside the top 15 and 10 Bluejays achieved personal-best 6K times.
 
Senior Molly Roberts led the Bluejays with a runner-up finish at the NCCXC Invitational on Sept. 5, setting a new personal best time of 23:10.9 in the 6K race. This performance also earned her CCIW Women's Cross Country Student-Athlete of the Week honors on Sept. 9 … Junior Jessica Solar had two strong performances, finishing sixth at the North Park Invite on Aug. 29 with a time of 20:11.6, and later securing fifth place at the NCCXC Invitational with a personal-best 23:58.8.
 
Paige Rewerts, a junior, also delivered impressive results in both early meets, crossing the line seventh at the North Park Invite with a time of 20:11.6. She also achieved a personal best at the NCCXC Invitational, placing 11th with a time of 24:11.0 … Freshman Joanna Rivera was solid in her debut, placing eighth overall at the North Park Invite with a time of 20:15.7. She continued her strong start at the NCCXC Invitational, where she earned a personal-best time of 24:12.3 to finish 12th.
 
Wheaton Strikes First at NCCXC Invitational
Wheaton snagged a first-place finish at the NCCXC Invitational on Sept. 5, winning the six-team event. The Thunder scored 33 points, placing four runners in the top-10 to secure the victory over second-place Elmhurst.
 
Abby Rickard posted the top time for the Thunder at the season-opening NCCXC Invitational on Sept. 5, finishing in third place with an effort of 23:38.70 in the 6K race. This performance also ranks the sophomore fourth in the CCIW Top 6K Times through September 13 … Senior Louisa Brorson placed fourth, right behind Rickard, with a 6K time of 23:57.5.
 
Freshman Clodagh O'Bryant had an impressive collegiate debut, placing sixth with a time of 23:59.90. It’s the seventh fastest time in the league this fall … Lily Lebo, a senior, secured a seventh-place showing in 24:03.80. Her performance was among four Wheaton runners who placed in the top-10.
 
Sheridan Leads Rookie-Powered NCC
North Central battled a wet and challenging course to seize a first-place team finish at the Rock River Invite on Aug. 29. The Cardinals, running an all-freshman squad, scored 30 points in the four-team race and placed four runners in the top 10 … At their home opener, the NCCXC Invitational on Sept. 5, NCC finished fourth as a team, again racing a nearly all-freshmen squad. North Central accumulated 96 points in the six-team event, placing behind Wheaton, Elmhurst, and Wisconsin-Whitewater.
 
Molly Sheridan opened her collegiate career with an individual win at the Rock River Invite on Aug. 29, completing the 5K course in 20:31.5 seconds. She finished nearly 13 seconds ahead of the runner-up and later posted a top-10 finish at the NCCXC Invitational, placing eighth with a time of 24:04.50 … Giselle Alcala, another freshman, secured a fourth-place finish in her first collegiate outing at the Rock River Invite, clocking a 21:18.4 effort in the 5K race. She also finished 20th at the NCCXC Invitational with a time of 25:00.9.
 
Leah Ortiz was sixth at the Rock River Invite with a time of 22:10.1. She later ran a 25:24.60 to finish 27th at the NCCXC Invitational … Freshman Yarecci Salmeron closed out a solid race at the NCCXC Invitational, finishing 16th with a time of 24:53.40.
 
Pakaski, Firebirds Find Early Form
The Vic Godfrey Open was the site of Carthage’s season opener on Sept. 5. The Firebirds navigated a challenging 4K course and placed fourth with 131 points … CC continued its strong start by earning a third-place finish at the Ken Weidt Classic on Sept. 13, accumulating 59 points. The Firebirds had five runners finish within the top 20.
 
Jessie Pakaski led the Firebirds at the Ken Weidt Classic on Sept. 13 with a seventh-place finish in the 6K race, clocking in at 24:20.1. She also paced Carthage at the Vic Godfrey Open on Sept. 5, finishing 27th in the 4K with a time of 15:39.5 … Freshman Camryn Lau recorded a ninth-place finish at the Ken Weidt Classic, completing the 6K course in 24:48.0. At the Vic Godfrey Open, she secured 37th place with a 4K time of 15:59.8.
 
Junior Kylie Florance finished 12th at the Ken Weidt Classic with a 6K time of 25:16.1, contributing to the team's third-place finish. The junior also had a strong performance at the Vic Godfrey Open, crossing the finish line in 28th place with a 4K time of 15:40.41 … Natalie Forward, another freshman, placed 15th at the Ken Weidt Classic with a 6K time of 25:32.3. In her collegiate debut at the Vic Godfrey Open, she finished 43rd in 16:18.15.
 
Big Blue Rolls to Wright Classic Win
Millikin was dominant in a first-place victory at the H.W. Wright Classic on Aug. 29 in Decatur. The Big Blue secured the team title with 19 points with their runners taking the top three individual spots … The team followed this performance with a third-place finish at the Prairie Stars Invitational on Sept. 5 in Springfield, accumulating 85 points. MU competed against a deep field of NCAA Division II and Division III programs, trailing only Illinois-Springfield and Truman State.
 
Brooklynn Sweikar dominated the H.W. Wright Classic on Aug. 29, claiming the individual title in the 4K race with a time of 15:25.4. She also led the Big Blue at the Prairie Stars Invitational on Sept. 5, finishing 13th in the 5K course with a time of 19:16.94 … Newcomer Brynn Behrmann started her collegiate season strong by earning runner-up honors in the 4K at the H.W. Wright Classic, finishing in 16:14.0. She continued to be a key scorer for Millikin at the Prairie Stars Invitational, where she finished 19th in the 5K with a time of 19:51.80.
 
Teyla Wendt secured a third-place finish in the 4K race at the H.W. Wright Classic, clocking in at 16:39.9. She also contributed to the team's performance at the Prairie Stars Invitational, rounding out the top five for Millikin by placing 21st with a 5K time of 20:24.11 … Freshman Lindsey Klaus was among Millikin's top scorers at the H.W. Wright Classic, placing sixth in the 4K with a time of 17:05.3. She also finished 21st at the Prairie Stars Invitational with a 5K mark of 19:54.75.
 
Augie Steps Up with Strong Start
Augustana opened their season at the Bob Schultz Invite hosted by Loras on Aug. 29, where the Vikings were in third place out of six participating teams … The team improved its performance at Luther’s All-American Invite on Sept. 13, finishing second out of five teams.
 
Keira Nelson was the top finisher for Augie at the Bob Schultz Invite, crossing the finish line seventh overall with a time of 19:24.8. She was also the Vikings’ top runner at the Luther All-American Invite, securing a fifth-place finish with a time of 20:22.0 … Frida Martinez also had a strong start to the season, placing 10th at the Bob Schultz Invite with a time of 19:49.7. She maintained a top-10 position at the Luther All-American Invite, clocking 20:54.3 for 10th place.
 
Ryan Jednachowski delivered a solid performance at the Bob Schultz Invite, finishing 12th in 19:53.5 … Sammy Lehr secured a 16th-place finish at the Bob Schultz Invite with a time of 20:16.3. She improved her standing at the All-American Invite, crossing the finish line in eighth place with a time of 20:51.9.
 
Pioneers Push Forward with Strong Ken Weidt Finish
Carroll hit the course at the Tom Barry Invitational on Aug. 30, where the Pioneers finished sixth out of nine competing teams. CU accumulated a team score of 176 points … The team later delivered a solid performance at the Ken Weidt Classic on Sept. 13, placing fourth out of 10 teams. The Pios had an average 6K pace of 26:20.5.
 
Keagan Knue led the Pioneers in both early-season meets, finishing 48th overall at the Tom Barry Invitational with a 5K time of 21:18.05. She also placed 14th overall at the Ken Weidt Classic, completing the 6K course in 25:23.1 … Hana Smith consistently followed Knue as the second Carroll finisher, placing 50th overall at the Tom Barry Invitational with a 5K time of 21:22.88. She then secured 16th place at the Ken Weidt Classic, clocking a 6K time of 25:42.3.
 
Brooke Davies contributed to the team's strong showing at the Ken Weidt Classic, where she recorded a 6K time of 26:31.3. Her performance was part of the scoring five that helped secure the team's top-five placement at the event … Sarah Tinder was a key scorer in both opening meets, finishing her 5K race at the Tom Barry Invitational in 22:20.33. She also contributed to the team's effort at the Ken Weidt Classic with a 6K time of 27:05.3.
 
North Park Sparked by Gandee’s Debut
North Park co-hosted an invite to begin the season on Aug. 29 … NPU later competed at Parkside's Vic Godfrey Invite on Sept. 5.
 
Newcomer Marley Gandee made a strong debut by placing 10th out of 56 competitors at the season opener, clocking a time of 20:19.1 in her first college competition. She also led the Vikings at the Vic Godfrey Invite, placing 32nd with a 4K time of 15:44.5.
 
Mary Willitts also competed in both early meets, finishing 29th at the co-hosted invite with a time of 23:07.3. At the Vic Godfrey Invite, she secured 74th place with an 18:14.5 effort … Cyan Bradley was another key performer for North Park at the Vic Godfrey Invite with a time of 18:33.6.