IOWA CITY, Iowa – Brooke Lytle (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) and Katelyn Robbins (Liberty, Ill./Liberty) each posted top-50 finishes as the Northern Illinois University cross country team opened the 2021 season on Iowa's Ashton Cross Country Course in the Hawkeye Invitational. 

"It was a good start," said NIU head coach Jamie Moreno. "We have a lot of work to do but I like where the girls are at right now and it was definitely a positive race for us. Brooke (Lytle) stepped up as our number one, her and Katelyn (Robbins) pretty much ran side-by-side all around the course.

"Katelyn has battled some injuries here and there and hasn't raced a whole lot, so that was good to see her have a positive race and I think that will be a huge confidence boost for her. Brooke had a great race; we ran as a pack for the first couple kilometers before we got separated."

Lytle led the way for the Huskies in the four-kilometer event with a time of 15:04.7 to finish 44th, less than a second ahead of teammate Robbins who was 45th in 15:05.3

Julia Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) was NIU's third finisher in a time of 15:31.5. Victoria Robinson (Lansing, Kan./Kansas State) finished just ahead of teammate Joy Jackson (North Aurora, Ill./Benet Academy), who was making her collegiate debut. Robinson finished in 15:52.0 while Jackson was just behind in 15:43.8. 

"Julia (Finegan) had a pretty solid race and was a positive," said Moreno. "Joy (Jackson) surprised me and the team a bit, we haven't seen that in practice so far, but we saw it from her today, she showed that she is a competitor and is someone who will continue to compete for a top five-to-seven spot on our team."

The three other Huskies competing in the Hawkeye Invitational were Hannah Ricci (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North) running a time of 15:53.1, Emma Vorpagel (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) who clocked in at 16:18.3 and Kaitlin Miller (Rochester, Minn./Rochester Century) running 16:47.8. 

Northwestern's Rachel McCardell won the individual title in 13:43.0, Iowa State won the team crown while the Huskies finished 11th.

NIU will return to action in two weeks when the Huskies travel to Normal, Ill., to compete in the Redbird Invite on Friday, Sept. 17. 

Team Standings
1. Iowa State, 33
2. Northwestern, 60
3. Iowa, 81
4. Illinois State, 151
5. Northern Iowa, 181
6. Bradley, 190
7. Loyola-Chicago, 201
8. Creighton, 205
9. Drake, 215
10. UIC, 218
11. NIU, 267

NIU Individuals
44. Brooke Lytle, 15:04.7
45. Katelyn Robbins, 15:05.3
70. Julia Finegan, 15:31.5
86. Victoria Robinson, 15:42.0
87. Joy Jackson, 15:43.8
96. Hannah Ricci, 15:53.1
108. Emma Vorpagel, 16:18.3
118. Kaitlin Miller, 16:47.8