DeKALB — Four Huskies will compete in the NCAA West Preliminary Round beginning on Thursday and ending on Saturday. The three-day meet will be held in Sacramento, California. Among those competing are junior multi-event runner Remy Amarteifio, junior multi-event runner NeShay Curtis, first-year sprinter and jumper Diamond Riley and senior jumper Jehvania Whyte.

Riley and Whyte will compete in the triple jump, Amarteifio will be in the 100-meter hurdles and Curtis will take part in the 400-meter hurdles.

Head Coach Connie Teaberry told NIU Athletics that the athletes are prepared to take on the championships.

“The athletes are excited to continue their track and field season at the NCAA Preliminary Championships,” said Teaberry. “We have two that are returning, Jehvania and Remy, and two that will experience the competition for the first time, Diamond and NeShay.”

Whyte has won both the Indoor and Outdoor Mid-American Conference Championships in the triple jump the past two seasons. She was also an All-American both indoors and outdoors last year, finishing eighth at the 2018 indoor championship and seventh at the 2018 outdoor championship. This season, Whyte’s best jump came at the Texas Relays on March 30 with a leap of 13.33 meters.

Head Coach Connie Teaberry told NIU Athletics that the athletes are ready for the competition.

“Most of the athletes here we have seen at some point during the regular season,” Teaberry said. “There is no apprehension about the competitors. It’s an accomplishment to be here but placing top 12 is our ultimate goal. It will not be an easy task but if they each do what I know they are capable of we will have a great showing here.”

Curtis recently ran a MAC runner-up finish two weeks ago when she ran a personal-best time of 58.78 in the final to take her to the NCAA West Preliminary for the first time in her collegiate career.

In the 100-meter hurdles, Amarteifio tied her season-best time of 13.60 at the MAC Championship, placing third at the conference meet. The junior multi-event runner is making her second consecutive trip to the NCAA West Preliminary round after finishing 36th last season.

The triple jump competition will take place on Saturday with Riley jumping in flight one and Whyte in flight four. The triple jump will feature one round of three jumps for each competitor with the top 12 jumpers advancing to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas.

Riley’s best outdoor jump of her freshman campaign came at the Michael Johnson Invitational where she leaped 12.62 meters. Indoors, Riley had a season-best mark of 12.63 meters and finished second to Whyte at the MAC Championship.

The competition will begin for the Huskies today at 6:30 p.m in Sacramento, California with Curtis running the 400-meter hurdles. At 6:30 p.m Friday, Amarteifio will compete in the 100-meter hurdles and Curtis will compete in the 400-meter hurdles Quarterfinals, should she advance. At 5 p.m on Saturday, the first round of the triple jump will begin with Riley and Whyte competing, and at 9:05 p.m Amarteifio will compete in the 100-meter Quarterfinals if she advances.

Live updates can be viewed at niuhuskies.com