CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's track and field team earned four second place finishes on Saturday (April 11) at the Illini Deca-Jam. Miashlie Jean (Fort Lauderdale, Fla./Northeast) was second in the 100 and 400 hurdles, Precious Akinsanya (Des Plaines, Ill./Maine West) was second in the 100 and the Huskies were also second in the 4x100-meter relay. 

"The athletes had another solid competition day," said NIU Director of Track and Field Connie Teaberry. "We focused on executing and self-belief. These next few weeks we will continue to drill technique, competing with intention and Huskie Pride."

Jean and Brooke Jordan (Hephzibah, Ga./Cross Creek) took second and third in the 100 hurdles as Jean claimed second in 14.21 seconds and Jordan was third in 14.32. Jean was also second in the 400 hurdles, finishing in 1:05.79, both times for Jean are personal bests. 

Esther Momalife (Lagos, Nigeria) ran a season-best 24.85 seconds to take third in the 200, while Roshell Rowe (Manchester, N.J./Manchester) recorded a personal-best time of 25.10 to finish fifth. Rowe was also third in the 400 in 57.05, just ahead of Natasha Chetty (Victoria, Seychelles/Seychelles Business Studies Academy) who ran a season-best time of 57.34 to finish fourth. 

In the 100 meters, Akinsanya earned a runner-up finish with a season-best time of 12.04 seconds, just behind Illinois State's Kristyn Johnson who was first in 11.82. The quartet of Momalife, Chetty, Tiffany Colin (Tampa, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch) and Akinsanya was second in the 4x100-meter relay with a season-best time of 46.28 seconds, ninth-best in program history. 

G'Nea Pitt (Spanish Town, Jamaica) was third in the javelin with a third-best mark in program history of 40.32 meters (132-03). Pitt's best throw came on her fifth attempt of the competition and ranks seventh in the Mid-American Conference this season. 

Aniya Barton (Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) recorded a season-best mark of 11.61 meters (38-01.25) in the triple jump to earn a fourth-place finish. Claire Helmila (Greenville, Wis./Freedom) ran a season-best time of 2:15.88 in the 800 meters, finishing ninth. 

Next week, NIU will head to Gainesville, Fla., as the Huskies compete in the Tom Jones Memorial at the University of Florida, April 17-18. 

100-meter Dash
2. Precious Akinsanya, 12.04
7. Mariah Gonzalez, 12.77
8. Faith Rouse, 12.80

100-meter Hurdles
2. Miashlie Jean, 14.21
3. Brooke Jordan, 14.32
5. Kaiya Key, 15.52

200-meter Dash
3. Esther Momalife, 24.85
5. Roshell Rowe, 25.10
7. Tiffany Colin, 25.61

400-meter Dash
3. Roshell Rowe, 57.05
4. Natasha Chetty, 57.34

400-meter Hurdles
2. Miashlie Jean, 1:05.79
6. Sanaii Vaughn, 1:08.00

800-meter Run
9. Claire Helmila, 2:15.88
14. Liliana Camargo, 2:35.00

1,500-meter Run
9. Liliana Camargo, 5:03.28

5,000-meter Run
5. Sarah Maggio, 17:48.88
6. Ariel Hernandez, 18:37.24

Javelin
3. G'Nea Pitt, 40.32m (132-03)

Long Jump
5. Tod'Jai Ross, 5.56m (18-03.00)

Triple Jump
4. Aniya Barton, 11.61m (38-01.25)

4x100-meter Relay
2. Momalife, Chetty, Colin, Akinsanya, 46.28
3. Rouse, Jean, Gonzalez, Rosenfeld, 48.50