IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Northern Illinois University women's track and field team posted three event victories on Saturday (April 23) as the Huskies competed in the University of Iowa's Musco Twilight. Malia Watkins (Upper Marlboro, Md./Missouri State) won the 100-meter dash, Jazmyn Smith (Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep) claimed the long jump and the quartet of Skylynn Blue (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central), Watkins, Smith and Scout Regular (St. Louis, Mo./Incarnate Word Academy) won the 4x100-meter relay. 

"Another great competition for the Huskie ladies," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "These athletes impress me every meet with their hard work, focus, and willingness to fight for every second and meter of improvement. Their desire to be the best shows in their execution. However, we can't settle in. With one more regular season competition and then the MAC championship around the corner, they must stay humble yet hungry."

Watkins posted the second-fastest time in the MAC this season in winning the 100-meter dash, clocking in at 11.55 seconds. Blue was fifth in the 100 with the third-best time in the conference this season as she ran 11.66 seconds. 

A week after setting the school long jump record, Smith took the top spot in the event at Iowa with a jump measuring 6.23 meters (20-05.25). Smith's top mark held off the competition, led by Iowa State's Sydney Willits, who was second at 6.19 meters. 

Along with their individual events wins, Watkins and Smith ran the middle two legs of NIU's victorious 4x100-meter relay. Blue led off and Regular ran anchor as the Huskies winning time of 45.80 seconds was nearly two seconds faster than second-place Iowa (47.55) and is also the second-fastest time in the MAC this season. 

In the 100-meter hurdles, Regular recorded her fastest time of the season, crossing the finish line in 13.68 seconds to finish third in the meet, while also posting the third-best time in the MAC this year. Meanwhile, in the 400-meter hurdles, Kennedy Crawford (Douglasville, Ga./Alexander) cracked the conference top-10 this season with a time of 1:02.35 to finish third in the meet. 

With her third-place finish in the triple jump, Katrina Small (Atlanta, Ga./Arkansas-Pine Bluff) posted the fourth-best mark in the MAC this season. Small's best mark of the competition measured 12.24 meters (40-02.00) and came on her second attempt of the day. 

NIU will return to the State of Iowa next weekend as it competes in the Drake Relays in Des Moines, beginning on Thursday, April 28. 


100-meter Dash
1. Malia Watkins, 11.55
5. Skylynn Blue, 11.66
9. Scout Regular, 12.01

400-meter Dash
5. Kaitlyn Lewis, 56.89
6. Roshell Rowe, 57.15

800-meter Run (unseeded)
3. Kayla La Fontain, 2:26.33

3,000-meter Run 
6. Joy Jackson, 11:00.81

100-meter Hurdles
3. Scout Regular, 13.68
8. Kendal Only, 14.89

400-meter Hurdles
3. Kennedy Crawford, 1:02.35

4x100-meter Relay
1. Blue, Watkins, Smith, Regular, 45.80

4x400-meter Relay
2. Rowe, Lewis, Crawford, La Fontain, 3:52.48

Long Jump
1. Jazmyn Smith, 6.23m
5. Kenyae Majors, 5.82m
7. Diamond Riley, 5.64m
13. Dymier Jeffery, 5.02m
14. Kendal Only, 4.90m 

Triple Jump
3. Katrina Small, 12.24m
4. Diamond Riley, 11.75m
6. Kendal Only, 11.64m

Discus
14. Fatima Stingily, 33.77m

Hammer Throw
13. Fatima Stingily, 40.00m