DES MOINES, Iowa – Senior Jehvania Whyte (Kingston, Jamaica/Vere Technical) took second in the triple jump, junior Remy Amarteifio (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) reached the final in the 100 hurdles and sophomore Mackenzie Callahan (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) posted a MAC automatic qualifying time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase as the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team competed at the 110th Drake Relays this weekend. 

"Attending the Drake Relays is definitely a privilege that our athletes do not take for granted," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "Thursday our distance athletes started the charge of successful runs in the Distance Carnival sections. Mackenzie Callahan led the way with a gutsy performance in her first ever 3K steeplechase race. The steeple is a challenging and tough mental event. The impressive part is not just that she completed her first 3K steeple race, but that she completed it falling, getting back up and still qualified for the MAC Championships automatically with pure determination."

Callahan finished just outside the top-10 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, running a time of 10:51.90 to finish 11th.

"We also had a PR performance by Melissa Ricci in the 1,500 meters, improving her time from last week by three seconds," said Teaberry. "This has been a long time coming, Melissa is an athlete that you see always working hard and never complains. This work ethic eventually produces a breakthrough with patience and belief in the process."

Junior Melissa Ricci (Erie, Pa./Villa Maria Academy) ran a time of 4:33.49 to take 12th in the 1,500. Also on Thursday, sophomore Nora Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) ran a season-best time of 2:12.91 in the unseeded section of the 800-meter run, junior Vivian Overbeck (Vernon Hills, Ill./Vernon Hills) earned a top-10 finish in the 5,000 meters, claiming sixth in the unseeded section with a time of 17:13. 63 and sophomore Sara Atkins (Warrenville, Ill./Wheaton Warrenville South) also had a strong showing in the 5,000, with a time of 18:23.24.

"In the 5K, Vivian Overbeck and Sara Atkins also had PR races, showing us that their patience and tactical racing strategies and improving with each race they compete," said Teaberry. "Nora Finegan took two seconds off of her previous season's best mark from last week in the 800."

Amarteifio reached the final in the 100-meter hurdles, where she finished fifth. After posting a time of 13.67 seconds in Friday's preliminaries, Amarteifio clocked in with a time of 14.20 in Saturday's final, which was won by Kentucky's Faith Ross in 13.30. 

"Friday, our standout performance was Remy Amarteifio running the 100 hurdles, becoming our first hurdler to reach a Drake Relays Final," said Teaberry. "In the finals today she nabbed fifth place. It was not her best race but in the cold temps, fifth at the Drake Relays is an impressive accomplishment."

Competing in those same cold temperatures on Saturday, Whyte measured 12.73m (41-09.25) on her sixth, and final, leap of the day to earn a second-place finish. Marie-Josee Ebwea-Excel of Kentucky won the meet with a best jump of 13.38m (43-10.75). 

"Highest place finish this weekend was Jehvania Whyte in the triple jump today with a second-place finish," said Teaberry. "Again, the cool temps were not ideal, but what we like about Jehvania is that she always competes. 

"The athletes (will) hit the drawing board again this week in preparation for our home meet Friday. We are excited to compete in front of our biggest supporters, which usually results in some great results."

NIU will host the 2019 Huskie Classic, their final meet before the Mid-American Conference Championship, on Friday, May 3. The competition will begin at 1 p.m. with field events, the first event on track will be the 3,000-meter steeplechase at 4 p.m. 


100-Meter Dash 
27. Syanne Johnston, 12.39

800-Meter Run (unseeded) 
7. Nora Finegan, 2:12.91

1,500-Meter Run (unseeded) 
12. Melissa Ricci, 4:33.49
25. Hannah Ricci, 4:47.57

5,000-Meter Run (unseeded) 
6. Vivian Overbeck, 17:13.63
25. Sara Atkins, 18:23.24

100-Meter Hurdles 
5. Remy Amarteifio, 14.20 (f), 13.67 (pre)

400-Meter Hurdles 
14. NeShay Curtis, 1:01.56

3,000-Meter Steeplechase 
11. Mackenzie Callahan, 10:51.90

4x100-Meter Relay 
10. Johnston, Hew, Lewis, Amarteifio, 46.84

4x1600-Meter Relay 
12. Finegan, M. Ricci, Biddle, H. Ricci, 20:42.11

4x100-Meter Shuttle Hurdle 
DNF. Phillips, Ramsey, Majors, Amarteifio

High Jump 
13. Taylor Ramsey, 1.61m (5-03.25)

Long Jump 
17. Jazmyn Smith, 5.74m (18-10.00)
23. Kenyae Majors, 5.58m (18-03.75)

Triple Jump 
2. Jehvania Whyte, 12.73m (41-09.25)
13. Diamond Riley, 11.50m (37-08.75)