ALLENDALE, Mich. -- Freshman Kaitlyn Lewis (Liberty, Mo./Liberty) won the 600 meters and senior Ericka Hibser (Lewistown, Ill./Lewistown) met the MAC Indoor Championship qualifying time as the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team opened the 2018-19 season on Friday at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Open. 

"We had some highs and lows today," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "We are extremely young in some event areas and the staff looks for every athlete to compete and execute, if we do that we can accept the outcomes. We fell short a little in this area today, however we have several opportunities to get this corrected and I'm confident this group will. 

"Ericka Hibser led the way on the track with a MAC (Championship) automatic performance in the 5K, running the perfect race, while Jehvania (Whyte) and Remy (Amarteifio) both came close in the long jumpe and 60 hurdles, respectively. All three of them had the best first meet of any of their seasons, which is promising for their future efforts.

"Our young standouts were Jahnetta (Jones) with a well-executed 4x4 leg and Kaitlyn (Lewis) winning the 600, both showing that they are ready to lace up with the other competitors in our conference. The season jitters should be out, and we look forward to making technique corrections and improvments once we reconvene in January."

Lewis claimed first in the 600 meters in dominating fashion, finishing in a time of 1:36.32, more than 1.4 seconds ahead of second-place Haley Rathwell of Michigan State. Junior Grace Harris (Dousman, Wis.) also earned a top-five finish with a time of 1:39.11. 

Three Huskies finished in the top-three in the 300-meter dash, led by freshman Taylor Tilmon's (Lake Villa, Ill./Lakes) second place finish in a time of 40.62 second, just behind first-place Samantha Cuneo of Central Michigan (39.33). Junior Britney Hew (Hanover, Jamaica/New Mexico Junior College) took fifth with a time of 41.94 seconds and sophomore Syanne Johnston (St. Peters, Mo./Fort Zumwalt East) was sixth in 42.05. 

In the long jump, senior Jehvania Whyte (Kingston, Jamaica/Vere Technical) earned a fourth-place finish with a best leap of 5.70m (18-8.5), which she earned with her third jump of the competition. 

NIU also had a fourth-place finish in the 4x400-meter relay as the quartet of Tilmon, freshman Jahnetta Jones (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville), junior NeShay Curtis (St. Louis, Mo./McCluer South Berkeley) and Lewis finished with a time of 3:50.51.

Junior Remy Amarteifio (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) advanced to the final of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.84 seconds in the prelims, where she was fifth. The Huskie junior then also took fifth in the final in 8.73 seconds. Freshman Aniese Phillips (Fort Wayne, Ind./Wayne) was 12th in the 60 hurdles in 9.16

NIU also had top-10 finishes from sophomore Brynn Bartlett (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) in the mile as she took sixth (5:15.85) and Curtis in the 400 meters, taking seventh (57.96) while Hibser was just outside the top-10 in the 5,000 meters, finishing 11th in a time of 16:49.37, to automatically qualify for the MAC Indoor Championship.   

The Huskies will return to action in the New Year when they travel to the Gene Edmonds Open on Saturday, January 12 in West Lafayette, Ind., hosted by Purdue University. 


60-meter Dash
32. Remy Amarteifio, NIU – 8.09

60-meter Hurdles
5. Remy Amarteifio, NIU – 8.84q, 8.73f
12. Aniese Phillips, NIU – 9.16

5,000-meter Run
11. Ericka Hibser, NIU – 16:49.37

Mile Run
6. Brynn Bartlett, NIU – 5:15.85

400-meter Dash
7. NeShay Curtis, NIU – 57.96

Long Jump
4. Jehvania Whyte, NIU – 5.70m (18-8.5)
16. Kenyae Majors, NIU – 5.29m (17-4.25)

Shot Put
14. Taylor Ramsey, NIU – 11.03m (36-2.25)
21. Fatima Stingily, NIU – 10.67m (35-0.25)
28. Christina Wood, NIU – 8.95m (29-4.5)

Weight Throw
37. Fatima Stingily, NIU – 9.25m (30-4.25)

600-meter Run
1. Kaitlyn Lewis, NIU – 1:36.32
5. Grace Harris, NIU – 1:39.11

300-meter Dash
2. Taylor Tilmon, NIU – 40.62
5. Britney Hew, NIU – 41.94
6. Syanne Johnston, NIU – 42.05

4x400-meter Relay
4. NIU 'A' (Tilmon, Jones, Curtis, Lewis) – 3:50.51
7. NIU 'B' (Hew, Amarteifio, Bartlett, Harris) – 3:58.61