AUSTIN, Texas -- The Northern Illinois University women's track and field team kicked off its outdoor season this weekend at the Texas Relays and Texas State's Bobcat Invitational, making their return to the track as a team for the first time since winning the MAC Indoor Championship. The Huskies were competing outdoors for the first time since the 2019 season. 

"This weekend was a great opportunity for the athletes to start off the outdoor season with warm weather and an opportunity to place marks or times on the MAC performance list that could hold weight," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "We were able to walk away from Texas Relays and Texas State doing just that. Over half of the athletes competing this weekend have not had the opportunity to train outside yet. Regardless, most were still able to ink strong performances, others will continue to work towards better results."

"On Thursday, freshman Kennedy Crawford got us started doing a great job of holding her own on the big stage at Texas Relays in the 400 hurdles, while our distance group showed promise running great tactical races. Brooke Lytle made her debut in 3000 steeplechase, putting a time on the board that places her on the MAC list in the top-10 and Nora Finegan in the 1500 ran a PR that looked effortless.

"Friday was a hectic yet productive day. The standout events were our 4x100 relay, which had a chance to get the baton around the oval successfully. While, Remy (Amarteifio), one of our COVID senior returners, had her fastest opening 100 hurdle race in her five years at NIU and now sits at number one on the MAC list.  
 
"Saturday at Texas Relays, Mackenzie (Callahan) blazed a new PR in the 800 meters also placing her in the top spot on the MAC performance list. She also ran an impressive 1500 meter and sits second.

"We traveled 21 athletes, each one improved something they have been working on and most of their efforts have them sitting in the top-10 on the MAC list. We will keep improving and working. The athletes are hungry for results."

Senior Mackenzie Callahan (Minooka, Ill./Minooka) competed in a pair of events at the Texas Relays, finishing fifth in an elite field in the 1,500 meters with a time of 4:28.63, while taking 13th in the 38-runner field in the 800 with a personal-best time of 2:09.78. 

In the steeplechase at the Texas Relays, sophomore Brooke Lytle (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) earned a top-10 finish in her first competition in the event, running a time of 11:10.50. 

Meanwhile in San Marcos at the Bobcat Invitational, senior Nora Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) took the top spot in the 800 meters and the Huskies were also victorious in the 4x400-meter relay. 

In the 800, Finegan ran a time of 2:13.91 to take first in the, ahead of Incarnate Word's Ivette Alcantar (2:14.29). The quartet of junior Kaitlyn Lewis (Liberty, Mo./Liberty), freshman Kennedy Crawford (Douglasville, Ga./Alexander), Callahan and sophomore Jahnetta Jones (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) comfortably took first in the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:47.35, nearly eight second ahead of second-place Texas State (3:55.10).

Crawford posted a runner-up finish individually in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:02.53, winning her heat with a time that was just behind Texas State's Katti Ealy-Pulido, who won the second heat in 1:02.36. Senior Remy Amarteifio (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) took second in the 100 hurdles in 14.07 seconds, just behind SMU's Jernaya Sharp (13.79). 

Junior Jazmyn Smith (Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep), Amarteifio, freshman Skylynn Blue (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) and Jones were third in the 4x100-meter relay with a time of 46.37 seconds. 

Three Huskies finished in the top-10 in the high jump, with junior Diamond Riley (St. Louis, Mo./Ritenour) leading the way with a fourth-place finish and a leap of 12.16 meters. Senior Kenyae Majors (Burlington, N.C./Hugh Cummings) claimed seventh with a jump of 11.77 meters and freshman Kendal Only (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) earned ninth with a mark of 11.68 meters. 

NIU will return to action next weekend, April 2-3, as it travels to Normal, Ill., to compete at the Redbird Invite, hosted by Illinois State. 

Texas Relays

100-meter dash
55. Skylynn Blue, 12.28

800-meter run
13. Mackenzie Callahan, 2:09.78
33. Janae Dean, 2:17.56
35. Victoria Robinson, 2:18.56

1,500-meter invitational final
5. Mackenzie Callahan, 4:28.63

1,500-meter run (B final)
11. Nora Finegan, 4:37.05

100-meter hurdles
29. Remy Amarteifio, 13.86
36. Scout Regular, 14.26

400-meter hurdles
33. Kennedy Crawford, 1:03.36

3,000-meter steeplechase
9. Brooke Lytle, 11:10.50

4x100-meter relay
15. Jazmyn Smith, Remy Amarteifio, Skylynn Blue, Jahnetta Jones, 46.64

Bobcat Invitational

100-meter dash
6. Jazmyn Smith, 12.17

200-meter dash
12. Jahnetta Jones, 24.91
17. Skylynn Blue, 25.32
21. Kaitlyn Lewis, 25.48
32. Scout Regular, 26.00

800-meter run
1. Nora Finegan, 2:13.91
14. Hannah Ricci, 2:24.99
17. Julia Finegan, 2:27.45

1,500-meter run
5. Julia Finegan, 4:39.44
16. Hannah Ricci, 4:53.07

5,000-meter run
6. Sara Atkins, 17:51.62
13. Kaitlin Miller, 18:28.84

100-meter hurdles
2. Remy Amarteifio, 14.07
11. Scout Regular, 14.76

400-meter hurdles
2. Kennedy Crawford, 1:02.53

Long jump
8. Diamond Riley, 5.71m
11. Kenyae Majors, 5.62m
25. Kendal Only, 4.85m

Triple jump
4. Diamond Riley, 12.16m
7. Kenyae Majors, 11.77m
9. Kendal Only, 11.68m

Discus throw
18. Fatima Stingily, 24.55m

Shot put
11. Fatima Stingily, 12.07m

4x100-meter relay
3. Jazmyn Smith, Remy Amarteifio, Skylynn Blue, Jahnetta Jones, 46.37

4x400-meter relay
1. Kaitlyn Lewis, Kennedy Crawford, Mackenzie Callahan, Jahnetta Jones, 3:47.35