October 16, 2004

WOMEN'S COLLEGIATE CROSS COUNTRY--Northern Illinois University at NCAA Pre-Nationals / at Terre Haute, IN / LaVern Gibson Championship Course / Six-Kilometer Course / Saturday / October 16, 2004

NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY at NCAA PRE-NATIONALS / Terre Haute, IN

Team Placing (Open Division):
1. Northern Illinois 69
2. Wisconsin-Milwaukee 76
3. California-Riverside 95
4. Northern Iowa 104
5. Western Illinois 118
6. Ohio 146
7. South Dakota State 168
8. Dayton 180
9. Drake 196
10. IUPUI 234

Northern Illinois Placewinners:
13) Alicja Czajka, 22:18.7; 47) Jessica Schauff, 23:04.6; 59) Emily Ramsey, 23:17.0; 62) Bonnie Miller, 23:19.8; 79) Denisse Valladares, 23:29.1

Other NIU Finishers:
80) Michelle Rhoden, 23:30.0; 119) Stacey Rosch, 24:11.7

Huskie Cross Country heads to MAC summit on high note with second straight event title
TERRE HAUTE, IN--- Behind yet another strong showing from senior Alicja Czajka, the Northern Illinois University women's cross country team ended its regular season on a big upswing, notching its second straight event title by winning the Open Division at the NCAA Pre-Nationals in Terre Haute, IN Saturday (Oct. 16).

The Huskies---who cruised to victory at the five-kilometer Benedictine Eagle Invitational last weekend---tallied 69 team points to edge out the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (76) in the final tally. NIU also defeated instate rival Western Illinois (118) and Mid-American Conference foe Ohio (146).

Czajka (Swarzedz, Poland / Poznan)---who has posted the top Huskie time in each of her six events this year---led the way with a 22:18.7 that was good enough for 13th place overall. It is the second straight solid six-kilometer performance for the senior who paced a 22:04.94 at the Bradley Invitational back on Oct. 1.

Sophomore Jessica Schauff (Dixon) also edged her way into the top-50 by running a 23:04.6 that placed her 47th in the 191-runner field. Classmate Emily Ramsey (Waukesha, WI / West) came in just behind Schauff in 59th place with a 23:17.0 while senior Bonnie Miller (Plainfield) and freshman Denisse Valladares (Mt. Prospect / Hersey) rounded out the list of Huskie placewinners with 62nd-place 23:19.8 and 79th-place 23:29.1 finishes, respectively.

Miller's classmate Michelle Rhoden (Joliet / West) also competed for NIU, running a 23:30.0 that was 80th in the final standings. Freshman Stacey Rosch (Carol Stream / Glenbard North) was the only other runner in Cardinal and Black, ending up 119th at 24:11.7.

Seven weeks of competition and endless hours of training and preparation come down to one race for the 13 members of the MAC including NIU. The 2004 MAC Championship meet is scheduled to be run on Toledo's Ottawa Hills Golf Course Saturday, Oct. 30, at 10:oo a.m. (EDT).

-NIU-