Sept. 15, 2007

EVANSTON, Ill.-- Senior Celia Franklin (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) raced to a first-place team finish in the 5k Illinois Intercollegiates on Friday, which helped Northwestern earn third-place out of 20 teams in Normal, Ill.

Junior Carly Brown (Kalispell, Mont./Flathead) placed second for the Wildcats, finishing closely behind Franklin. Brown had been the Wildcat leader in the previous two races.

Paulina Garcia (Streamwood, Ill./Streamwood) turned in yet another strong performance as well, finishing third on the team. Running right with Garcia, senior Marie Grabinski (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) finished fourth.

Rounding out the top five runners for NU was Britta Helwig (Chicago, Ill./Luther North).

Official times and finishes are still being configured.

NU has now finished second, third and fourth in the first three races of the year and will be running at the Lake Forest Invitational at 11 a.m. next Saturday in Lake Forest, Ill.