DEKALB, Ill. – Sophomore Noelle Maire (Belleville, Wis./Belleville) was the first to cross the finish line as the Northern Illinois University cross country team opened the season at the NIU Huskie Challenge on the North 40 Cross Country Course on Friday afternoon. Six Huskies finished in the top-nine as NIU comfortably won the team competition with a score of 22, UIC finished second with a team score of 46. 

"We did exactly what we wanted," said NIU head coach Adrian Myers. "We went to the front and ran as a pack, ran controlled and built a synergy to push-and-pull each other down the course. Having Hannah (Ricci) hang on to that group and a couple of our returners lead the charge, without our one, two and three out there, will help us develop for down the road. Our mantra this year is 'do your job' so we are trying to put people to positions to do their job and build some confidence.

"I said (before the meet), 'defend our turf and win the meet.' Whoever is one through seven, I don't care. This is the first meet we have held in a long time on this course, we had people from the community and campus here so it was important to win the meet."

Maire cross the line on the 5K course in 15:41.5, just three second against of Emma Roberts of Benedictine who finished second (15:44.9). 

Sophomore Melissa Ricci (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) took third in 15:46.9, sophomore Daly Galloway (Dwight, Ill./Dwight) claimed fifth in 15:54.3.

Three more Huskies finished in the top-10 as freshman Hannah Ricci (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) was seventh in 16:08.1, sophomore Sara Atkins (Warrenville, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South) was eighth in 16:11.1 and sophomore Nora Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) took ninth in 16:17.2.

After the meet, Myers was pleased with the performance of his team and the depth the Huskies showed in their home meet.

"The exciting piece with where we are at is that we have enough depth that we are interchangeable," said Myers. "In order for us to become a championship team we can't rely on the same five, we need eight or nine people to win championships. Somebody in that top-five won't have their best day at the MAC Championships, so we will need to have two or three people step-up so we don't have a drop-off."

The small field of six teams on their home course in DeKalb was a good way for NIU to start the season as it now looks ahead toward the rest of the schedule. 

"It is a nice springboard as we get into the more competitive meets moving forward," said Myers. "John McNichols (at Indiana State) and Nuttycombe (at Wisconsin), will be good mid-season benchmarks to see where we are against the nation's elite. This sets us up perfectly to ramp-up training, ramp-up intensity and start to build the camaraderie and synergy toward the championship season."

NIU will be back in action at the John McNichols Invitational, hosted by Indiana State in Terre Haute, Ind., on Saturday, Sept. 15. 

Team Scores
1. NIU, 22
2. UIC, 46
3. Benedictine, 104
4. Harper College, 114
5. Sauk Valley CC, 116
6. Chicago State, 159

NIU Individual Finishes
1. Noelle Maire, 15:41.5
3. Melissa Ricci, 15:46.9
5. Daly Galloway, 15:54.3
7. Hannah Ricci, 16:08.1
8. Sara Atkins, 16:11.1
9. Nora Finegan, 16:17.2
18. Maggie Cavanaugh, 17:17.7
22. Mercer Mack, 18:04.2
24. Ryan Block, 18:20.5
38. Sarah Virgo, 20:22.9