DES MOINES, Iowa – Junior Jazmyn Smith (Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep) set a new school record and won the long jump as the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team competed at the Drake Relays, its final competition before the Mid-American Conference Championship. 

"Drake Relays was a competition full of ups and downs this weekend," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "However, again I am proud of the way the athletes kept their poise, focus, and confidence positive. Jazmyn Smith moved to second on the MAC list in the long jump, set a new school record, and claimed her first victory at the Drake Relays and the first for NIU in the event. Jazmyn is a talented athlete and I believe she has a bigger jump in her future.

"We had another personal bests, beginning with the Finegan sisters in 1500 meters unseeded section. Nora and Julia are fighters and set the bar high for each other. They continue to push each other to the best times, and it's exciting to watch. Ashley Tutt also ran a PR in the 1,500 meters, dropping 15 seconds from her previous effort in the event. Ashley always amazes me with her gutsy performances. She impresses me every time she steps on the track. A coach can't ask for anymore."   

In the University long jump competition, Smith took top honors with a best mark of 6.06 meters (19-10.75). Smith posted her best mark of the meet on her first attempt and was the only one of the 12 competitors to top six meters. Smith's season-best leap is also third-best in the conference this season. 

Junior Diamond Riley (St. Louis, Mo./Ritenour) recorded a season-best mark in the triple jump, measuring 12.19 meters (40-00.00) to finish fourth. Riley posted her best jump with her third attempt of the competition and it is the second-best mark in the MAC this year. 

On the track, junior Kadeja Campbell (St. Ann, Jamaica/Southern-New Orleans) ran the fifth-best time in the conference this season, and her season-best, in the 400 meters, clocking in with a time of 55.89 seconds to finish seventh. 

A trio of Huskies ran season-best times in the 1,500 meters. Junior Ashley Tutt (Channahon, Ill./Minooka) competed in the seeded event and ran the third-fastest time in the MAC this season, running 4:23.45 to finish 11th. In the unseeded section, senior Nora Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) finished 11th in 4:32.01 while freshman Julia Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) was 17th in 4:36.42. 

Sophomore Brooke Lytle (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) took nearly 16 seconds off her season-best time in the steeplechase, finishing 11th in a time of 10:41.71, the fifth-best time in the conference this spring. 

"Brooke Lytle is on fire in the 3,000-meter steeplechase," said Teaberry. "This is her first year competing in this event and in less than a week she dropped another 15-plus seconds from the PR she set last week and she now sits fifth on the MAC list.

"Four other athletes and our 4x400 relay had season best performances this weekend as well. We will not travel this coming weekend and use this week to fine tune and prepare for the MAC Championships May 7th and 8th."

In the relays, the Huskie quartet of junior Kaitlyn Lewis (Liberty, Mo./Liberty), freshman Kennedy Crawford (Douglasville, Ga./Alexander), Campbell and sophomore Jahnetta Jones (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) ran a time of 3:42.79 to finish fourth, posting the second-best time in the MAC this season. 

The MAC Championship is scheduled for Friday, May 7 and Saturday, May 8, and will be hosted by Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. 

Drake Relays

100-meter dash
18. Jazmyn Smith, 12.45

200-meter dash
9. Jahnetta Jones, 25.17

400-meter dash
7. Kadeja Campbell, 55.89 
10. Kaitlyn Lewis, 56.39

800-meter run (unseeded)
10. Victoria Robinson, 2:14.51 
18. Janae Dean, 2:24.66

1,500-meter run
11. Ashley Tutt, 4:23.45

1,500-meter run (unseeded)
11. Nora Finegan, 4:32.01 
17. Julia Finegan, 4:36.42

100-meter hurdles
5. Remy Amarteifio, 13.79 (14.12q)
23. Scout Regular, 15.25

400-meter hurdles
5. Kennedy Crawford, 1:02.23

3,000-meter steeplechase
11. Brooke Lytle, 10:41.71 

4x100-meter relay
13. Smith, Amarteifio, Lewis, Jones, 47.49

4x400-meter relay
4. Lewis, Crawford, Campbell, Jones, 3:42.79

4x800-meter relay
3. N. Finegan, Dean, J. Finegan, Robinson, 9:04.66

High Jump
10. Taylor Ramsey, 1.63m (5-04.25)

Long Jump
1. Jazmyn Smith, 6.06m (19-10.75) 

Triple Jump
4. Diamond Riley, 12.19m (40-00.00)

Hillsdale "Gina" Relays

1,500-meter run
6. Meagan Biddle, 4:57.24

5,000-meter run
18. Sara Atkins, 17:46.37
19. Hannah Ricci, 17:46.38