Introduction Cross Country is an endurance sport that incorporates both team and individual components. Saint Ignatius has a modified no-cut policy with respect to this program. This policy allows new student-athletes the opportunity to learn the sport at their own rate. Returnees of all skill levels are expected be in shape when the season starts so they can handle the training volume of the varsity team. To remain on the team, all student-athletes must commit to all of the meets and practices on the schedule.
The Pack won the GCAC Championships on Saturday with all seven runners finishing in the top 12 behind a 1-2 finish of Jordan Abdo and Megan McClain. Maeve Gawne (5th), Julieta Mayorga (6th), Yesenia Maley (7th), Olivia Stern (8th) and Isabella Soriano (12th) all reached the award stand. The Wolfpack also won the Open race led by a 1-2-3 finish by Mary Kate Brady, Leona Bergin and Nola Weintraub. Ava Burns, Olivia Saldana, Caroline Justeau and Ava Moran also earned top-20 finishes. The frosh-team had a narrow victory at to seal the team sweep of all four championships behind Mary O'Reilly's gold-medal-winning finish. Gabriella Duque (4th), Pilar Curran (6th), Maya Williams (8th), Allison Leonard (9th), Elizabeth Schmiedeler (14th) and Ella Abraham (16th) completed the victorious scoring.
The Wolfpack finished 5th of 30 teams at the Solorio Invite held at Marquette Park. Ella Abraham (14th) and Nola Weintraub) were medalists. Olivia Saldana (37th), Ava Burns (38th) and Ava Moran (57th) rounded out the team score in a race with 188 finishers.
The Wolfpack finished in third place at the Peoria Notre Dame Invite. Kate McAllister (8th), Courtney Beatty (12th), Gabriella Duque (14th), Julieta Mayorga (29th) and Megan McClain (36th) led the way in a field of 421 finishers. Joining McAllister, Mayorga and McClain with new PRs were Maya Williams, Isabella Soriano and Nola Weintraub. Most of the runners in this race were racing three miles for the first time.
The Wolfpack finished a strong fifth of 25 teams at the Lake Park Invite. Allison Leonard (16th) and Mary O'Reilly (17th) led the way. Kate McAllister (23rd), Yesenia Maley (27th) and Megan McClain (37th) rounded out the team score in a race with 286 finishers.
The Pack competed in the Connelly Invite at Lewis University this past weekend. Ignatius won the 12-team invite with six of our top seven runners competing in their first high school race. Ella Abraham led the way, finishing 3rd of 122 runners. She was followed by Elizabeth Schmiedeler (4th), Sela Nass (8th), Camilla Martinez (14th), Nora Doyle (15th), Caitlyn Hernandez (16th) and Olivia Saldana (20th).
Saint Ignatius College Prep, a Jesuit Catholic school in the heart of Chicago, is a diverse community dedicated to educating young men and women for lives of faith, love, service and leadership.