Two Northwestern runners etched their names in program history as three Wildcats achieved personal best times at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational.
Graduate students Chloe Wellings and Katherine Hessler highlighted these efforts, racing to top five all-time marks at Boston University’s Track & Tennis Center.
Wellings finished the 5,000-meter race in 16:13:47 for her personal record. Her time placed her third all-time among Wildcats for the event. It was also 38 seconds faster than her previous best indoor showing.
Hessler bolted in a 16:30.55 time in the same race, winning her heat and finishing fifth all-time. The Grand Rapids, Michigan native’s race was almost 11 seconds faster than her previous personal best.
Graduate student Holly Smith raced a 9:19:49 in the 3,000-meter race, which was also a personal best. The Cheshire, England talent’s time was under a second faster than her previous top time, which she set on Jan. 17 in Seattle.
Junior Skye Ellis also ran in the 3,000, posting a time of 9:36.98.
Other runners, sophomore Jackie Holman, senior Ava Earl and junior Maddy Whitman competed unattached — meaning they ran unaffiliated with NU — at the Wisconsin Windy City Invitational.
Holman bested the 5,000 with a 16:14.49 showing — marking her career best. Her time was 34 seconds faster than her previous record and 16 seconds faster than the race’s second-place finisher.
Earl competed in the 3,000, finishing second at 9:15.31. Whitman ran the 3,000 in an unseeded section, besting her collegiate record at 9:33.80 en route to a sixth-place finish.
The ’Cats will return in March for their first outdoor event of the season.
Email: kamrannia2027@u.northwestern.edu
X: @kamran_nia
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— Cross Country: Skye Ellis sets 800-meter program record at Blue Demon Alumni Classic
— Cross Country: Holly Smith and Skye Ellis record individual first place finishes at Midwest Classic
