DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's track and field team heads to Mount Pleasant, Mich., for the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27-28, hosted by Central Michigan at the Jack Skoog Indoor Track. Competition each day is scheduled to get underway at 9 a.m. CT. 

"Our ladies have worked hard from the fall all the way to this point," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "From this moment, we just have to make sure we stay focused, stay determined and let the technique and work that they have put in show here at the MAC Championships."

The Huskies have two of the top six ranked high jumpers heading into the championship as Arianna Calloway (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) is ranked fifth and Jasmijn Raes (Amsterdam, Netherlands) is sixth. Raes finished third in the high jump at last season's conference indoor meet while Calloway claimed fourth.

Precious Umukoro (Villarreal, Spain) is ranked in the top 15 in a pair of events this weekend as she is ninth in the conference in the triple jump and 11th in the long jump. Umukoro earned Freshman Field Performer of the Year at last year's MAC Indoor Championships after earning a second-place finish in the long jump and seventh in the triple jump.

Teaberry will look to lean upon those veterans to help guide the team at this weekend's championship.

"We practice Monday through Friday and normally compete on Saturday, but now we have Friday and Saturday and you have to leave it all on the track," said Teaberry. "That's where our ladies who have been to the MAC Championships can assist us with those who are here for the first time, helping with those butterflies and that adrenaline, making sure that it is directed in the right area. Helping their teammates get in the right headspace to be prepared to compete."

Aniya Barton (Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) is also in the top-15 in the triple jump, having posted her best mark of the season of 11.79 meters (38-08.25) just last week at the Iowa Open (Feb. 20). 

On the track, Stella Oyebode (Ilorin, Nigeria) is currently 12th in the MAC in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.61 seconds while Kyla Motley (Palos Heights, Ill./Shepard) and Miashlie Jean (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Northeast) are both in the top-25 in the 60-meter hurdles, having both run season best time last weekend at the Iowa Open. 

Live video of both days of the MAC Championship will be available on CMUChippewas.com.