Women's Cross Country | February 18

LA LIBERTAD, El Salvador – Northern Illinois University freshman Ashley Tutt (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) took sixth in the 2018 North America, Central America and Caribbean Cross Country Championship as the first from Team USA to cross the finish line, on Saturday.
 
"I am so proud of her and what she's been able to accomplish," said NIU head cross country coach Adrian Myers. "What's more enjoyable is the idea that we are not even through her freshman year yet! Ashley executed a very aggressive race strategy today knowing the course was fairly flat. Unfortunately with the heat, that made it hard to close the back end of the race, but her early pace broke the majority of the field, and she was able to secure a sixth-place finish."
 
Team USA took second to Canada, who swept the podium, placing one through three as well as the fifth-place finish. Canada's fifth and final scoring athlete came in ninth to secure its position.
 
Tutt finished the race in 21:20.0, ahead of the second USA athlete in Duke's Amanda Beach to cross in eighth place and Duke's Michaela Reinhart to finish next in 11th place.
 
"You couldn't ask more of Ash, as she always gives it," said Myers. "I'm just glad she gained this international experience which will develop her into an elite collegian in the years to come. I look forward to getting her back on campus and hearing more about her time in El Salvador!"
 
The year continues for Tutt as she finishes the track & field indoor season next weekend at the Mid-American Conference Championships in the 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs, and she will begin her first outdoor season as a Huskie on March 24 at the UT Arlington Bobby Lane Invitational.
 
-NIU-