Snowed in and psyched up, Northwestern is feeling the energy after a successful showing at the John Thomas Terrier Classic at Boston University. 

The Wildcats competed in the 3k and the 5k on Friday, with runners clocking some of the fastest times in program history. While the conditions were snowy in Boston this weekend, NU certainly brought the heat on the track. 

In a field that boasted top teams and professional runners, freshman Ava Earl placed an impressive 23rd overall in the women’s 3k, with the fifth fastest 3k time ever for the Cats of 9:38. Graduate student Amanda Mosborg finished seventh in the women’s 5k in 16:51, running the seventh fastest time in program history. Both Earl and Mosborg set personal bests with these history-making performances.

Mosborg, who ran Division III at Carleton College during her undergraduate years, is making the most of her time at NU. She is enrolled in a year-long graduate program and finishing her NCAA eligibility, and this was just her third Division I indoor track competition.

“I guess that makes me feel even more lucky for the opportunity because I’m not here for very long,” said Mosborg. 

Rounding out the Cats’ performance, Emily Casaclang and Deepti Choudhury set personal bests in the 3k, finishing in 9:52 and 9:56, respectively.

Graduate student Lotte Van der Pol posted the ninth fastest time in program history in the 5k, crossing the line in 17:04 and finishing 13th overall. Primarily a cross country program, NU views winter and fall track seasons as a chance to build a strong base for the fall.

“We really approach indoor and outdoor track as a way to grow physically and mentally in terms of our confidence,” Coach Jill Miller said. 

Running is a unique sport in that each season features competition — from cross country in the fall to indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in the spring, its athletes are constantly in-season. 

The Cats methodically approach their training in order to stay both healthy and motivated throughout their lengthy racing calendar. Miller says a big part of this longevity is enjoying the process.

“We make the hard work fun…that’s a really important piece of the puzzle,” said Miller. “Because it is a grind. It’s a lot of miles that you’re running and it can start to be something that feels a little bit mundane, and we do not want that to happen.”

After a historic cross country season in the fall, during which the Cats achieved their best Regionals finish in 20 years and sent senior Rachel McCardell to Nationals, NU has gotten in some solid racing on the indoor track. 

“We’re on an upward curve for success,” Earl said.

The Cats had to deal with COVID-19 troubles and injuries at the beginning of the season, but despite these challenges, the team was able to put up solid performances at the first two meets of their season. At the Gene Edmonds Invitational in January, Earl took home the 3k victory, and all seven NU runners finished in the top 10 of that event. Later that month at the Michigan Invite, four Cats achieved personal bests in the mile and the 3k. 

The Terrier Classic featured more competition compared to their two previous meets held in the Midwest, and Earl said “it was good for (the team) to get in a more competitive field.” The number of personal bests and historic times for the program prove that it was, indeed, good. 

The Cats have a few more meets on the calendar for the winter and will then turn their attention to outdoor track season and ultimately the 2022 cross country season. 

NU has faced many battles during the indoor track season thus far, but with a strong roster and positive attitude, the team was able to overcome adversity and dominate on the track in snowy Boston. The cold never bothered them anyway. 

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @katewalter03

Related Stories: 

— Cross Country: After a successful fall, Northwestern seeking to continue growth during indoor track season

— Cross Country: Northwestern records three top 10 finishes at Michigan Invitational

— Cross Country: Northwestern earns highest regionals finish in 20 years, McCardell qualifies for nationals