Jan. 29, 2010

DEKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois track and field team will hit the road for the fourth consecutive weekend Saturday, when the Huskies travel to Kenosha, Wis. to compete in the Tadd Metzger Invitational, hosted by Carthage College. The invitational is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Newton E. Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center.

The Huskies will face competition from Benedictine, College of DuPage, Concordia-Chicago, Judson, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Oakton, Robert Morris, Rockford, Saint Xavier, Trinity Lutheran and Wisconsin Lutheran.

"We're heading to Carthage this weekend and I think it is going to be a really good competition for the girls," head coach Connie Teaberry said. "The staff and I are working to finalize the indoor line up right now, so the girls will be competing in more than their usual events."

Entering this weekend's competition, the Huskies will look to improve upon their already successful indoor season. Throughout their indoor campaign the Huskies have set a new school record, garnered two Mid-American Conference Track Athlete of the Week Awards and earned multiple first-place finishes.

Megan Gregory (Chicago, Ill./Plainfield North) shattered a school record in her Huskie debut, when she recorded a time of 8.95 in the 60-meter hurdles (Dec.11). Gregory time of 8.60 seconds, a mark she set at the Panther Open (Jan. 16), is the top 60-meter hurdle time in the MAC this season.

Contributing to the early season success of the Huskies, Rhonda Lee (Flint, Mich./Carman-Ainsworth) was named MAC Track Athlete of the Week twice. Lee received the honor after helping the Huskies to a third-place finish at the EIU Early Bird Invitational (Dec.12). At the invite Lee finished just shy of 60-meter dash school record, before competing in the 200-meter dash, long jump, and 4x400-meter relay for the Huskies. Lee received her second MAC honor after posting three top-five performances and two personal-best records at the Eastern Michigan Invitational (Jan. 9).

Joining Gregory and Lee among the top Huskie competitors are Jenner Sio (Rockford, Ill./Christian Life), Brittany Houghton (Freeport, Ill./Dakota), Roneisha Frye (Fairview Heights, Ill./Belleville East) and Courtney Oldenburg (West Salem, Wis./West Salem), who have all notched first-place finishes in their respective events this season.

"The girls are really focused," said Teaberry. "This weekend we are aiming to capture a few of the meet records and a few more school records. We know this is a prelude for next month, when we get ready for the Ball State Quadrangular and MAC Championships. We're hoping to perform really well this weekend."

Following this weekend's invitational, the Huskies will take a week break from competition before heading to the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa Feb. 12-13.

Northern Illinois University Women's Track

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