From University of Chicago Athletics

The University of Chicago women's cross country team won the Elmhurst College Earlybird Invitational on Friday.

In the first race of the season, the Maroons continued their dominating form on the women's side. UChicago topped the 11 team field with 28 points, which easily outpaced runner-up Aurora University at 45 points. The Maroons finished fourth at the 2013 NCAA Division III Championships and entered 2014 as the No. 4-ranked team in the preseason U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coaches Poll.

Junior Brianna Hickey was the individual medalist among the 131 participants. She won the race in a time of 14:58.0, edged out the second-place finisher by 1.2 seconds and outpaced the remaining racers by nearly 26 seconds.

UChicago ended up with five runners in the top 10. Senior Isabella Penido was fourth (15:25.6), junior Catherine Young was sixth (15:40.1), freshman Cassidy McPherson was seventh (15:42.4) and junior Maggie Cornelius was 10th (15:48.8).

UChicago women's top finishers

Brianna Hickey (Jr.) – 1st place, 14:58.0
Isabella Penido (Sr.) – 4th place, 15:25.6
Catherine Young (Jr.) – 6th place, 15:40.1
Cassidy McPherson (Fr.) – 7th place, 15:42.4
Maggie Cornelius (Jr.) – 10th place, 15:48.8
Megan Verner-Crist (Fr.) – 12th place, 15:58.8
Claire Costelloe (Fr.) – 14th place, 16:01.4