DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University cross country teams travels to the Illini Open for its final race before the Mid-American Conference Championship on Friday. The race begins at 4 p.m.

The Huskies will be sending eight runners to the competition against Bradley, Butler, Eastern Illinois, Illinois, Illinois State, Northwestern and Purdue. Among the runners will be four freshmen Elizabeth Evans (Hampshire, Ill./Hampshire), Mercer Mack (Eureka, Ill./Eureka), Cheree Miller (Fairfield, Ill./Fairfield) and Dajhia Reed (Omaha, Neb./Omaha Northwest).

The race will also offer a chance to compete for senior Danielle Dlabal (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb), transfer DoShawn Franks (Los Angeles, Calif./West Los Angeles CC), and sophomores Kayla Fallis (Moberly, Mo./Moberly), and Michaela Heit (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran).

"I expect to see Michaela Heit lead the team after showing tremendous growth from her 2015-16 season into this fall," said NIU head coach Adrian Myers. "She will be competing for us next week as well, which is a testament to her development."

Next week, the remaining eight Huskie runners will make the trip to Kent, Ohio for the MAC Champioship after the extra recovery week. Michaela Heit will join the resting runners at MACs.

-NIU-