IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Northern Illinois University women's track and field team competed for the first time in 2024 as the Huskies traveled to the University of Iowa on Saturday (Jan. 13) to compete in the Hawkeye Invitational. 

NIU faced some challenges in its first meet of the calendar year as the winter weather blanketing much of the region caused some travel difficulties for the Huskies. 

"Today the athletes experienced adversity," said Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "Our travel did not go as planned due to the weather and roads. A 2.5-hour trip became a five-hour trip., the high jumpers missed their event, and the athletes weren't prepared physically to sit and jump off the bus to immediately compete.  

"With that being said, every athlete gave everything they had with no complaints. For a coach that's when you know you have a focused group. I'm proud of them and hope we can put them in a better position to get prepared and compete Friday at Iowa State."

Despite the adversity, NIU had four top-five finishes in the meet, including a second-place finish from Kendal Only (Huntley, Ill./Huntley) in the triple jump. Only finished with a mark of 11.44 meters (37-06.50) behind just Iowa's Kayla Hutchins, who jumped 12.35 meters, a top-25 mark in the nation this season. 

A pair of Huskie scored top-five times in the 3,000 meters as Lydia Bauer (DeForest, Wis./DeForest) claimed third in a time of 11:12.08 while Carly Leonard (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./College of Lake County) was fifth in 11:38.00. 

In the 400 meters, Talayssia Sanders (Waco, Texas/Central Arkansas) recorded a fourth-place finish, running a time of 58.67 seconds. 

Malia Watkins (Upper Marlboro, Md./Missouri State) ran a time of 25.06 seconds in the 200 meters, finishing eighth in the meet while recording the sixth-fastest time in the Mid-American Conference this season. The NIU quartet of Sanders, Roshell Rowe (Manchester, N.J./Manchester), Watkins and Arianna Calloway (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) ran a time of 3:58.81, which is also sixth-best in the MAC this season. 

NIU will return to action next Friday, Jan. 19, when they travel to Ames, Iowa, to compete in the Cyclone Open. 

60-meter Dash
12. Skylynn Blue, 7.85

200-meter Dash
8. Malia Watkins, 25.06
17. Roshell Rowe, 26.34

400-meter Dash
4. Talayssia Sanders, 58.67

600-meter Dash
10. Emma Vorpagel, 1:38.56
18. Olivia Southby, 1:43.10

Mile Run
8. Julia Finegan, 5:11.49

3,000-meter Run
3. Lydia Bauer, 11:12.08
5. Carly Leonard, 11:38.00

Long Jump
16. Kendal Only, 3.61m (11-10.25)

Triple Jump
2. Kendal Only, 11.44m (37-06.50)

4x400-meter Relay
6. Sanders, Rowe, Watkins, Calloway, 3:58.81
10. Dixon, Vorpagel, Southby, Finegan, 4:10.65