Aug. 29, 2008

Complete Results

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Senior Meghan Ginter finished first among Northern Illinois runners at the Illinois Challenge, Friday, as the cross country team placed fourth to open the 2008 campaign.

Illinois State won the meet with 28 points, followed by Rend Lake College and Illinois. NIU's garnered 108 points in its fourth-place showing, ahead of Lincoln College and Danville Area C.C.

"Our top five did about what I expected of them," NIU distance coach Mark McConeghey said. "It was a season-opener, and we'll use it to learn and move forward to our next race."

Ginter (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley) placed 21st in the four-kilometer race with a time of 15:54. Seniors Denisse Valladares (Mr. Prospect, Ill./Hersey) and Ashley Rittenbacher (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) also performed well, according to McConeghey.

"Meghan, Denisse and Ashley came out mentally prepared and ready to race," McConeghey said. "Ashley, especially, because she worked harder this summer than she ever has in the past. It's her senior year, and she's giving it everyhting she's got."

Valladares clocked in at 16:16 in 26th, while Rittenbacher placed 30th in 16:27.

Sophomores Sunsea Shaw (South Bend, Ind./Riley) and Breanna Brevitt (Dixon, Ill./Dixon) finished fourth and fifth for the Huskies, and 32nd and 36th overall, respectively.

McConeghey sees one main area in which the team can improve.

"We're pretty far apart still from one to five, and I think we want to close that gap between now and the next race," he said.

For NIU the next race will be on familiar territory. The team returns to DeKalb to host the Huskie Open, Sept. 13.

Team Results
1. Illinois State 28
2. Rend Lake College 52
3. Illinois 54
4. Northern Illinois 108
5. Lincoln College 159
6. Danville Area Community College 168

Huskie Results
21. Meghan Ginter 15:54
26. Denisse Valladares 16:16
30. Ashley Rittenbacher 16:27
32. Sunsea Shaw 16:41
36. Breanna Brevitt 17:12