TOLEDO, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University women's track and field team wrapped up the 2021 regular season on Saturday (May 15) as the Huskies competed at the Toledo Rocket Invitational. A group of primarily distance runners took to the track to run in five events in the last meet before NCAA qualifiers are announced. 

Senior Mackenzie Callahan (Minooka, Ill./Minooka), running the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the first time this season, ran the fifth fastest time in the MAC this year in the event, finishing fifth with a time of 10:30.60. sophomore Brooke Lytle (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West) also ran a season-best time in the steeplechase, and the sixth-best time in the MAC this year, in 10:40.79 to finish eighth. 

In the 1,500-meter invitational race, senior Nora Finegan (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) earned a seventh-place finish with a season-best time of 4:30.83. Senior Meagan Biddle (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) also ran a season-best time in the other section of the 1,500, running 4:46.71 as she also took seventh. 

Sophomore Katelyn Robbins (Liberty, Ill./Liberty) also ran a season-best time in the 5,000 meters, finishing sixth in 17:33.89, nearly 30 seconds faster than her previous best. 

NIU will return to action at the NCAA West Preliminary, May 27-29, in College Station, Texas. Final qualifying lists for the preliminary round will be announced next week. 

800-meter run
7. Victoria Robinson, 2:14.43
8. Janae Dean, 2:17.51
9. Julia Finegan, 2:20.01

1,500-meter run invite
7. Nora Finegan, 4:30.83

1,500-meter run
7. Meagan Biddle, 4:46.61

5,000-meter run invite
6. Katelyn Robbins, 17:33.89
8. Hannah Ricci, 19:03.03

3,000-meter steeplechase
5. Mackenzie Callahan, 10:30.60
8. Brooke Lytle, 10:40.79