KENT, Ohio – Senior Jehvania Whyte (Kingston, Jamaica/Vere Technical) set a new school record in the long jump as the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team is in sixth-place after Friday's first day of the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Kent State Field House. 

Other scoring performances for the Huskies on day one came from freshman Taylor Ramsey (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) in the pentathlon, finishing sixth, along with the NIU quartet in the distance medley relay, which finished fourth. 

"Our first day of competition was impressive," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "Returners stepped up and freshmen followed suit. Freshman Taylor Ramsey began the day with the pentathlon. She PR'ed in three of the five events, which aided in her sixth-place finish.

"We were fortunate to have three long jumpers qualify to the MAC Championships. Two of the three scored and it was a battle between the two. Kenyae Majors, coming off an injury and very little practice, leaped her way to sixth-place, equaling her school record. Jehvania (Whyte) superseded Kenyae's jump, placing fifth while setting a new school record and PR in the process."

On her fifth of six jumps in the competition, Whyte hit a mark of 5.91m (19-04.75), breaking the previous school record of 5.84m (19-02.00) set by sophomore Kenyae Majors (Burlington, N.C./Hugh Cummings) earlier this season, to finish in fifth. Majors saved her best jump of the meet for her sixth, and final, jump tying her now previous school record of 5.84m (19-02.00) to finish one spot behind Whyte.

Ramsey opened the pentathlon with a time of 9.10 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles, the seventh-best time of the competition, to score 889 points. She then cleared a mark of 1.72m (5-07.75) in the high jump, good for 879 points, and the best jump of the competition. 

In the middle event, the shot put, Ramsey had the fifth-best throw, measuring 10.77m (35-4.00), followed by a mark of 5.04m (16-06.50) in the long jump. Ramsey scored 507 points in the 800 meters with a time of 2:45.92, clinching sixth in the pentathlon to score six points for the Huskies. 

"On the track, returner Nora Finegan in the 800 ran a smart, technical race," said Teaberry. "She ran with confidence and determination, giving us another opportunity to put points on the board Saturday in the finals. Another freshman, Taylor Tilmon, claimed a spot in tomorrow's 400 final, which is one of the toughest oval races in the conference, she never let up, and Remy (Amarteifio) reached the finals in the 60-meter hurdles. Her race wasn't flawless, but she executed with determination."

Freshman Taylor Tilmon (Lake Villa, Ill./Lakes) ran a time of 54.78 to take fifth in the prelims and advance to the final of the 400. Sophomore Nora Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) was sixth in the 800 with a time of 2:13.39 to book a place in Saturday's final while junior Remy Amarteifio (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) was fourth in the preliminaries of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.49 seconds. 

In the final event of the day, the NIU team of freshman Hannah Ricci (Naperville, Ill./Naperville North), sophomore NeShay Curtis (St. Louis, Mo./McCluer South Berkeley), Finegan and sophomore Mackenzie Callahan (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) took fourth in the distance medley relay with a time of 11:50.32. 

"The four athletes in the distance medley relay battled and gave us the additional points we needed to round off a solid first day," said Teaberry. "We had over 75 percent of the team PR, and that's all we can ask. That shows us that the athletes were not afraid to leave it all on the track.

"This is an extremely competitive conference and it's easy to get lost in the moment if your focus falters. That was not our athletes today, they showed heart and our staff is proud of their efforts. We need that same effort tomorrow and we should compete well." 

Competition on Saturday begins at 11 a.m. CT with the triple jump, the first event on the track will be the mile at 12:30 p.m. CT.

Team Scoring (Through Six Events)
1. Central Michigan, 52.5
2. Akron, 39
3. Eastern Michigan, 37
4. Toledo, 25
5. Bowling Green, 19
6. NIU, 15
7. Ohio, 13
8. Kent State, 10.5
9. Buffalo, 9
10. Miami, 8
11. Western Michigan, 6


60-meter Dash
9. Syanne Johnston, 7.57
10. Remy Amarteifio, 7.59

200-meter Dash
13. Taylor Tilmon, 24.58

400-meter Dash
5. Taylor Tilmon, 54.78
13. Kaitlyn Lewis, 56.73

800-meter Run
6. Nora Finegan, 2:13.39

5,000-meter Run
15. Ericka Hibser, 17:56.81
17. Sara Atkins, 18:05.92

60-meter Hurdles
4. Remy Amarteifio, 8.49
16. Aniese Phillips, 8.87

Distance Medley Relay
4. Hannah Ricci, NeShay Curtis, Nora Finegan, Mackenzie Callahan, 11:50.32

Long Jump 
5. Jehvania Whyte, 5.91m (19-04.75) 
6. Kenyae Majors, 5.84m (19-02.00) 
9. Diamond Riley, 5.47m (17-11.50)

Pentathlon    
6. Taylor Ramsey, 3,425

Pentathlon Individual Event Results
60-meter Hurdles: 7. 9.10 (889 points) 
High Jump: 1. 1.72m (5-07.75) (879 points)
Shot Put: 5. 10.77m (35-4.00) (580 points)
Long Jump: 8. 5.04m (16-06.50) (570 points) 
800-meter Run: 15. 2:45.92 (507 points)