Freshman Arianna Calloway’s first place finish highlighted NIU track and field’s split squad action this weekend at the Redbird Challenge and the Bobcat Invitational.
BOBCAT INVITATIONAL
The Huskies sent a majority of their top athletes, such as Calloway and senior Malia Watkins, to the Bobcat Invitational hosted by Texas State University.
NIU had a pair of top 10 finishes in the high jump in San Marcos, Texas. Calloway championed the event with a jump of 1.74 meters.
Junior Kamiya Dendy finished in seventh place, the second best placement of any Huskie athlete at both invitationals. Dendy cleared the mark of 1.66 meters on her second of three attempts but failed to clear the height of 1.71 meters.
Junior Emma Vorpagel earned two new personal best times at the Bobcat Invitational in the 800 meter run and the 1500 meter run.
Vorpagel finished in 16th place in the 800, finishing with a time of 2:15.22. The Hartland, Wisconsin, native then followed up with a 19th place finish in the 1500 with a time of 4:49.60.
Watkins competed in the 100 meter dash and earned a 16th place finish out of 60 athletes. The Missouri State University transfer finished with a time of 11.83 seconds, which was just two tenths of a second off of her personal best.
REDBIRD CHALLENGE
Sophomore Aniya Barton earned the Huskies’ only top 10 finish at the Redbird Challenge, by taking ninth place in the triple jump. Barton’s best jump was measured at 10.81 meters.
Freshman Olivia Dixon finished in 11th place for the Huskies in the 400 meter dash in her first outdoor meet of her collegiate career. Dixon finished with a final time of 1:00.61.
Sophomore Emily Rublein earned a 13th place finish in the shot put and discus throw. Rublein’s best throw of the day for discus came at 22.12 meters.
The Madison, Wisconsin, native’s best throw for shot put was measured at 7.96 meters, which was good for a new personal best.
The Huskies will be back in action on Friday for the Hurricane Alumni Invitational hosted by the University of Miami at Cobb Stadium.
