University of Illinois
NCAA Regional Championships
Illinois Headed to NCAA Midwest Regional
November 13, 2014 | Women's Cross Country
MEET PREVIEW
The Fighting Illini women's cross country team will travel to Peoria, Illinois for the NCAA Midwest Cross Country Regional on Friday, Nov. 14. The six-kilometer race, hosted by Bradley, will take place at Newman Golf Course and is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. CT.
The top two teams will receive automatic bids in the NCAA Championships on Nov. 22 in Terre Haute, Indiana. Additionally, the top four individual finishers not on qualifying teams will earn a place at the NCAA Championships. At-large teams and individuals will be announced after all nine NCAA Regional championships have been completed.
COACH JONES ON THE MEET
"We weren't satisfied with our Big Ten performance," said head coach Scott Jones. "We are grateful to have another meet. Every individual on the team has had good performances over the course of the year but we haven't put together a complete team meet. It's basically just a matter of going out there and competing at the level we are capable of."
"The key is that we all commit to the welfare and the outcome for the team," explained Jones. "If things aren't going well for a particular individual, especially when only seven people start the race, it's important that each person stays mentally strong."
NCAA MIDWEST REGIONAL FIELD
The NCAA Midwest Regional field consists of teams from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Additionally, 13 conferences from across the nation will be represented, including the Big 10, Big 12, Big East and American conferences. Iowa State, ranked fifth in the nation, comes into the meet as the favorite. Minnesota is the second-highest ranked team in the region, coming in at No. 20. Bradley, Oklahoma State and Tulsa round out the top five teams in the regional poll. Illinois is ranked 11th in the region by the USTFCCCA.
"Coming back from the Big Ten meet, we set a goal to finish in the top four," Jones noted. "I think if we put it all together, that is something we can achieve. I think having that focus out there will help us perform at our best."
ILLINI SET TO RUN
Seven members of the Orange and Blue will toe the line at the NCAA Midwest Regional, six of whom have had the experience in past seasons. Colette Falsey, Amanda Fox, Britten Petrey, Chloe Schmidt, Alyssa Schneider and Hanna Winter each have raced at the NCAA Midwest Regional at least once in their careers. Denise Branch is the lone Illini with no NCAA Regional experience.
2014 NCAA Midwest Regional Roster
Denise Branch // Freshman // Brooklyn, N.Y.
Finished seventh for the team at the Big Ten Championships ... Made her collegiate debut at the Bradley Invite, finishing seventh for the Illini in a time of 22:31.6.
Colette Falsey // R-Junior // Schaumburg, Ill.
Was one of the top three finishers for the Illini at all but one meet ... Finished sixth for the Orange and Blue at the Big Ten Championships ... Was named Big Ten Co-Athlete of the Week after winning the Illini Open ... Earned her second collegiate win at the Illini Open, finishing in a time of 17:44.47 ... Recorded a 6K personal-best of 21:39.1 at the Bradley Invite, finishing second for the Illini and 15th overall ... Finished second for the Illini and third overall at the Illinois State Invite in a 5K personal-best of 17:37 ... Was the third Illini runner to cross the line at the Illini Challenge, finishing sixth overall.
Amanda Fox // Junior // Naperville, Ill.
Scored points for the team in each of the five races she competed in ... Was second for the Illini at the Big Ten Championships, recording a personal-best time of 21:17.6 ... Finished fourth for the Illini and 22nd overall at the Bradley Invite ... Was second for the Orange and Blue at the Roy Griak Invite ... Finished fourth overall at both the Illinois State Invite and the Illini Challenge.
Britten Petrey // R-Junior // Schaumburg, Ill.
Has consistently been a top-five finisher for the Illini this season ... Recorded a personal-best 6K time of 21:31.6 at the Big Ten Championships, finishing fourth for the Illini ... Finished third for the squad and fifth overall at the Illini Open ... Was the sixth Illini runner into the chute at the Bradley Invitational with a season-best 6K time of 22:04.9 ... Crossed the finish line as the fifth Orange and Blue runner at the Roy Griak Invite ... Registered a personal-best 5K time of 17:59 at the Illinois State Invite, finishing 11th overall ... Earned an eighth-place finish at the Illini Challenge.
Chloe Schmidt // Senior // State College, Pa.
Competed in every race this season ... Was the fifth runner for Illinois at the Big Ten Championships, finishing in a personal-best time of 21:36.7 ... Placed sixth overall and fourth for the team at the Illini Open ... Finished eighth for the Illini at both the Bradley Invite and the Illini Challenge ... Was the sixth runner for the Orange and Blue at the Roy Griak Invite ... Placed 54th overall at the Illinois State Invite.
Alyssa Schneider // R-Junior // Bartlett, Ill.
Was the top finisher for the Illini in all but one race she competed in this season ... Was the third runner for the Illini at the Big Ten Championships ... Finished third overall in a season-best 6K time of 20:49.4 ... Placed 58th overall at the Roy Griak Invite ... Won the Illinois State Invite and the Illini Challenge, recording a personal-best 5K time of 17:18 at Illinois State.
Hanna Winter // Sophomore // Arlington Heights, Ill.
Scored points for the Illini in five of the six meets she has competed in this season ... Was the Illini's top finisher at the Big Ten Championships, finishing 38th overall in a personal-best 6K time of 21:08.1 ... Finished second for the squad and fourth overall at the Illini Open ... Recorded a personal-best 6K time of 21:48.1 at the Bradley Invite, finishing 19th overall ... Was the third Illini finisher at the Roy Griak Invite ... Placed fifth for the team and 14th overall at the Illinois State Invite, registering a personal-best 5K time of 18:08 ... Finished 21st overall at the Illini Challenge.
ILLINI AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
The Illinois women's cross country team competed at the Big Ten Championships on a cool and breezy Sunday morning at Ashton Cross Country Course on the University of Iowa campus. The Illini finished ninth in the 14-team field, equaling last year's finish despite two additional teams.
The Orange and Blue were led by Hanna Winter's 38th-place performance. She completed the six-kilometer course in 21:08.1, a personal best by over 40 seconds. She was followed into the chute by 46th-place finisher Amanda Fox. Fox also had a lifetime-best performance for six kilometers, finishing in 21:17.6.
The next two runners for Illinois were Alyssa Schneider and Britten Petrey. Schneider finished 58th with a time of 21:27.1, while Petrey was 64th in a personal-best time of 21:31.6. Chloe Schmidt was the fifth Illini runner to cross the finish line, registering a 65th-place finish in lifetime best of 21:36.7. Colette Falsey (21:50.8) and Denise Branch (22:11.4) were the sixth and seventh Orange and Blue finishers, finishing in 74th and 87th, respectively.
ILLINOIS RESULTS AT THE BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIPS (out of 123)
38. Hanna Winter, 21:08.1
46. Amanda Fox, 21:17.6
58. Alyssa Schneider, 21:27.1
64. Britten Petrey, 21:31.6
65. Chloe Schmidt, 21:36.7
74. Colette Falsey, 21:50.8
87. Denise Branch, 22:11.4
97. Megan Lemersal, 22:31.2
98. Valerie Bobart, 22:32.3
