Sept. 2, 2009
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Starting her sixth season at the helm of Northwestern, head coach April Likhite will be relying on a mix of experience and youth when her squad opens the 2009 campaign in the DePaul Home Opener at 6 p.m. Friday. The 4K race takes place in Channel Runne Park in Lincolnwood, Ill., just over four miles from Northwestern's campus.
"Truthfully, I'm most looking forward to watching this group take the confidence I saw them display during our spring track season out onto the cross country course," Likhite said. "It's clear we have we have so much desire and passion on this team both for running and for representing Northwestern."
This is the second consecutive season the 'Cats have opened their season at DePaul's meet after placing second out of seven teams at the 2008 event.
Northwestern's top returners include seniors Britta Helwig (Chicago, Ill./Luther North) and Paulina Garcia (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) as well as sophomores Rachel Kaminski (Greenbay, Wis./Bay Port) and Molly Waterhouse (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg). Kaminski placed second among Wildcats and seventh overall in last year's DePaul Home Opener.
Likhite also welcomes 10 runners in her freshman class, a group that includes the 2009 Washington, D.C. Gatorade Cross Country Runner of the Year, Moira Ryan (Washington, D.C./Georgetown Visitation).
Channel Runne Park is located along McCormick Blvd. in Lincolnwood and extends from Touhy Ave. south to Devon Ave. along the North Shore Channel.