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Track, field heads to Texas, Raleigh relays

March 28, 2012
Roneisha Frye

Roneisha Frye

The Northern Illinois track & field team returns to action this week as they will compete in the Texas Relays and the adidas Raleigh Relays.

Both meets are multi-day affairs.

NIU begins competing in the Lone Star State Thursday and wraps up Saturday, while the other Huskies compete Friday night on the campus of North Carolina State.

“We are excited to return to Austin for the Texas Relays,” said Huskie head coach Connie Teaberry. “Great times seem to always come out of this competition due to the overwhelming amount of talent present. We should be right in the mix.”

“This will also give the ladies a chance to compete at the site for the NCAA West Preliminary Round to be held in late May. Competing at the site location will be an advantage when we return.”

The Huskies qualified five individuals and three relay teams for the Texas Relays, which is in its 85th year and stands as one of the oldest college meets in the United States. Jenelle McCalla opens things up for Northern Thursday afternoon with the 400 hurdles prelims.

The rest of the NIU contingent opens at 9:30 a.m. Friday with Janay Mitchell and Rasheta Butler in the 100 meters and Roneisha Frye and Megan Gregory in the 100 hurdles, the 4×100 relay and the 4×400 relay.

Jenner Sio opens the afternoon session at 12:30 p.m. in the triple jump, while the sprint medley relay team wraps up the day in Austin at 5:30 p.m. The finals for all track events will run Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, distance runner Juliane Totzke will represent the Huskies at the adidas Raleigh Relays. Totzke competes in the 5000 meters at 6:30 p.m.

“This will be our first trip to the Raleigh Relays,” Teaberry said. “The past results Coach Hipp has found proves this is a great meet for our distance ladies to attend. They have continued to work hard in preparation for this competition.”

Both meets will feature some of the best competition in the nation.

In Texas, the host Longhorns, USC, Arkansas and LSU highlight a field that includes eight of the top ten teams in the nation in the USTFCCCA computer rankings and 15 of the top 25. The Raleigh meet, on the other hand, will showcase five teams in the top 50, including No. 4 Clemson and No. 24 West Virginia.

For more information on NIU track & field and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.