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NMU women’s cross country opens season today

By Steve Brownlee 3 min read
Northern Michigan University’s Ella DeBruyn leads the field of Wildcat runners and would win by nearly 20 seconds in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Aug. 21. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

MARQUETTE -- The women's cross country team at Northern Michigan University officially opens its regular season at the Phoenix Open in Green Bay, Wisconsin, this afternoon.

The Wildcats already had an exhibition meet to open the campaign, hosting its own Wildcat Open that only included NMU runners in the collegiate meet. There was a companion high school meet that included about a half-dozen Upper Peninsula schools.

NMU veteran coach Jenny Ryan has to be excited to get this season started as her charges are coming off one of the most successful campaigns in its history, having finished runner-up at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and taking fourth place among 32 teams at the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional.

That latter finish earned Northern a spot at the NCAA Championships for the first time since 2017, where the Wildcats finished 24th after having climbed as high as No. 12 in national rankings during the regular season.

Fans can follow @NMU_Track_Field and @NMU_Wildcats on X for updates leading up to and during the meet, or visit the NMU athletics website at nmuwildcats.com and look under the cross country schedule for a preview.

Mirroring its GLIAC meet finish, Northern was chosen second in the conference coaches preseason poll behind unanimous No. 1 Grand Valley State, a powerhouse in the sport.

For her efforts with the cross country and women's track and field teams, Ryan was named 2025-26 NMU Coach of the Year.

The top returnee is sophomore Ashley Choponis, while junior Ella DeBruyn and senior Lamar Gordon should also make major contributions.

As a freshman, Choponis established herself as the team's No. 2 runner after the

Northern Michigan University’s Ella DeBruyn leads the field of Wildcat runners and would win by nearly 20 seconds in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Aug. 21. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

Northern Michigan University's Ella DeBruyn leads the field of Wildcat runners and would win by nearly 20 seconds in the NMU Wildcat Open cross country meet held near the Superior Dome and along Lake Superior in Marquette on Aug. 21. (Photo courtesy Cara Kamps)

now-departed All-American Madi Szymanski. Choponis was 16th at the league meet to be named GLIAC Second Team, and was 20th at the Midwest Regional for All-Region honors.

Gordon also earned All-GLIAC laurels a year ago, while DeBruyn was 72nd at the GLIAC meet and won the Wildcat Open exhibition on Aug. 21.

NMU's has a robust roster with 10 freshmen, four sophomores, eight juniors and three seniors.

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release previewing the meet. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee's email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.

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