KENT, Ohio – Jazmyn Smith (Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep) set a new school record while finishing second in the long jump to highlight Friday's (Feb. 25) first day of competition for the Northern Illinois University women's track and field team at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships. The Huskies scored 15 points and sit in sixth place heading into Saturday's final day of competition. 

"It was a sweet moment of Jazmyn (Smith) and Kenyae (Majors), who PR'ed as well," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "Jazmyn has been chasing the 20-foot barrier for a while now. I was standing at the end of the pit and told her it was going to be close and when the official read off 6.13 she just went crazy."

Smith's school record leap came on her sixth, and final, attempt of the competition as she measured 6.13 meters (20-01.50) to claim second place and her own previous mark of 6.03 meters (19-09.50), set at the 2020 MAC Championships. Kenyae Majors (Burlington, N.C./Hugh Cummings) also scored points for the Huskies in the long jump as her second attempt of the day also broke the previous school record and measured 6.04 meters (19-09.75) to claim fourth. Central Michigan's Hayley Manners won the event with a mark of 6.23 meters (20-05.25). 

NIU also put points on the board in the Distance Medley Relay where the quartet of Brooke Lytle (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha West), Kennedy Crawford (Douglasville, Ga./Alexander), Emma Vorpagel (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) and Grace Louis (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) clocked in with a time of 12:14.72 to finish seventh. 

In the prelims of the 200-meter dash, NIU advanced three runners into Saturday's finals. Kadeja Campbell (St. Ann, Jamaica/Southern-New Orleans) ran the second-fastest time of the day, 24.38 seconds, to lead the Huskies. Skylynn Blue (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) was third in the prelims in a personal-best time of 24.49 and Malia Watkins (Upper Marlboro, Md./Missouri State) advanced in sixth with a time of 24.57 seconds. 

Campbell will be joined by Jahnetta Jones (Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville) the finals in the 400 meters as Campbell's time of 56.00 seconds was good for second and Jones qualified in sixth with a time of 56.19 seconds. 

The Huskies also had finals qualifiers in both the 60-meter dash and the 60-meter hurdles. Defending MAC champion Kimone Hines (Hanover, Jamaica/Southern-New Orleans) advanced in the 60 meters with a time of 7.69, qualifying third from the prelims. Scout Regular (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy) also qualified third in the 60 hurdles with a personal-best time of 8.54 seconds.  

"One of the things we tell the ladies every year is that the first day is about making it to the second day," said Teaberry. "If you make it to the second day, nine times out of 10 you are putting points on the board, and that's what we are looking for. We may not have PR's, but if you make it to the second day you have a chance to score and that's what the ladies did."

Saturday's second day of competition at the MAC Track and Field Championships begins on the women's side with the final in the mile at 12:30 p.m. CT. 


Team Standings
1. Toledo, 35
2. Miami, 32
3. Ball State, 25
4. Eastern Michigan, 24
5. Central Michigan, 17
6. NIU, 15
7. Bowling Green, 12
8. Kent State, 10
9. Akron, 8
10. Buffalo, 7
11. Ohio, 6
12. Western Michigan, 4

60-meter Dash
3. Kimone Hines, 7.69q
9. Malia Watkins, 7.70
12. Skylynn Blue, 7.73

200-meter Dash
2. Kadeja Campbell, 24.38q
3. Skylynn Blue, 24.49q
6. Malia Watkins, 24.57q
10. Jahnetta Jones, 24.74

400-meter Dash
2. Kadeja Campbell, 56.00q
6. Jahnetta Jones, 56.19q
13. Kennedy Crawford, 56.92
19. Roshell Rowe, 58.84

800-meter Run
13. Brooke Lytle, 2:17.39

60-meter Hurdles
3. Scout Regular, 8.54q

Distance Medley Relay
7. Lytle, Crawford, Vorpagel, Louis, 12:14.72

Long Jump
2. Jazmyn Smith, 6.13m (20-01.5)
4. Kenyae Majors, 6.04m (19-09.75)
18. Diamond Riley, 5.43m (17-09.75)

Pentathlon
13. Taylor Ramsey, 3,063
15. Dymier Jeffery, 2,960

Pentathlon 800 Meters
13. Dymier Jeffery, 2:51.11 (452)
14. Taylor Ramsey, 3:13.16 (253)

Pentathlon 60-meter Hurdles
9. Taylor Ramsey, 9.27 (854)
14. Dymier Jeffery, 9.57 (794)

Pentathlon High Jump
3. Taylor Ramsey, 1.64m (5-04.50) (783)
9. Dymier Jeffery, 1.58m (5-02.25) (712)

Pentathlon Long Jump
9. Taylor Ramsey, 5.18m (17-00.00) (609)
12. Dymier Jeffery, 4.91m (16-01.50) (535)

Pentathlon Shot Put
6. Taylor Ramsey, 10.52m (34-06.25) (564)
14. Dymier Jeffery, 9.05m (29-08.25) (467)