April 21, 2004

EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern cross country runners Diana Hossfeld, Emily Blakeslee, Nora Colligan and Ali Vavas will represent the Wildcats this weekend at the 110th running of the prestigious Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

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Coming off a rebuilding year in 2003, head coach Amy Tush sends her top three runners from last fall to compete in the 3K and 5K, respectively, while Vavas will compete in the racewalk.

The Penn Relays began Tuesday and will run through Saturday. Blakeslee and Colligan are scheduled to compete in the 3,000 at 8 p.m. EDT (7 Central) on Thursday evening, followed quickly by Hossfeld who will run the 5,000 at 8:10 p.m. Vavas will compete in the racewalk Saturday at 7 a.m. EDT (6 Central).

Diana Hossfeld was Northwestern's top finisher in five of the six races she ran in 2003. The junior received All-District honors for the third time in as many years after finishing 14th at the 6K Midwest Regional (11/15) in a time of 21:48. Hossfeld's best finish last fall was at the Spartan Invitational (6K) where she placed sixth with a time of 21:43.3.

Emily Blakeslee scored in all six races she ran in 2003, finishing first once and second three other times for Northwestern. She had strong performances at the 6K Spartan Invitational, the 6K Roy Griak Invitational and the 5K Lakefront Invitational, and can return next fall for a fifth year of competition (she missed the 2001 season due to injury).

Nora Colligan, who will graduate from Northwestern in June, scored in all six races she ran in 2003. She clocked a personal best at the 6K Big Ten Championships with a time of 22:07.1.