STILLWATER, Okla. – Ashley Tutt of the Northern Illinois University cross country team wrapped a historic four-day stretch with an 80th place finish at the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championship on Monday (March 15) on the Oklahoma State Cross Country Course. 

Just four days after taking 13th, and earning Second Team All-America honors, in the 5,000 meters at the NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, Tutt clocked in with a time of 21:22.8 at the NCAA Cross Country Championship. 

"Ashley went for it, like she always does," said NIU cross country head coach Adrian Myers. "Anybody else might have packed it in and just gone through the motions but Ashley tried to position herself in a way where, over the final two kilometers, she could take a shot at getting inside the All-American ranks (top 40). From an execution standpoint, Ashley did everything we talked about, it just wasn't in the tank to get in the top-40, but without a national-class 5K four days prior, anything might have been possible."

The Channahon, Ill., native moved up throughout the opening half of the race, improving over 60 spots from the first kilometer to the midway point at 3K, where she was 66th. Tutt settled in throughout the back half of the race en route to finishing inside the top-100 in the 256-runner field. 

Tutt's 80th place finish is the second-best by a Huskie at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, behind her 50th place finish at last season's national championship and caps a historic season for the NIU Cross Country team that included the first Mid-American Conference team title in program history.  

"What has been special about this national championships trip, and gives a clear picture of who Ashley is, is that in the fall, she had a groin injury and really couldn't train that much," said Myers. "As a result, she finished second (at the MAC Championship), but we needed her out there for the team. She made that sacrifice for the team and then picked up the pieces after having some doubts, worked extremely hard and reestablished the self-belief that she is a national-class runner. It is a true testament to the champion that she is."