Northwestern Track Team Kicks Off Outdoor Season With Raleigh Relays And WashU Distance Carnival Northwestern’s track and field team began its outdoor season with a dual meet at the Raleigh Relays in North Carolina and the WashU Distance Carnival in St. Louis. The Wildcats competed in both events, focusing on distance races such as the 5,000m and 10,000m runs. The Raleigh Relays, hosted at North Carolina State University’s Paul Derr Track & Field Facility, featured live coverage via ACC Network Extra starting at 6 p.m. CT on Friday. The team’s participation in the WashU Distance Carnival began on Thursday evening with the 800m run, followed by events in the 1,500m, 3,000m steeplechase, and 5,000m. Live streaming of the carnival was available through FloCollege. The Wildcats’ outdoor season follows a strong indoor campaign, highlighted by their return to the Big Ten Indoor Championships in Indianapolis. Making their first appearance at the indoor league meet since 1988, the team secured four podium finishes across three days of competition. Skye Ellis led the individual efforts with a fourth-place finish in the mile run, clocking 4:40.71. Ava Criniti and Maddy Whitman also performed well in the 5,000m run, placing sixth and seventh with times of 15:58.40 and 16:03.35, respectively. Ellis also contributed to a strong distance medley relay team, which finished fourth with a time of 10:58.21 alongside Cary Drake, Anna Hightower, and Olivia Capala. Looking ahead, the team will compete at the Chicagoland Championships in Elmhurst, Ill., from April 10-11. The outdoor season’s early events set the stage for further competition as the team aims to build on its indoor success.#northwestern_track_and_field_team #raleigh_relays #washu_distance_carnival #north_carolina_state_university #big_ten_indoor_championships
