As the Huskies patiently wait to use the outdoor track facility, the track team continued its indoor schedule this weekend at the Panther Open in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Sophomore Rasheta Butler led the Huskies with two first-place finishes in the 60-meter and 200-meter dash.

The other win came from junior Brittany Houghton who took the long jump with a jump of 18 feet. Houghton also finished fourth in the triple jump behind senior Shoshanna Brown and freshman Jenner Sio.

Head coach Connie Teaberry is happy to see that she’ll always have someone to step-up for her team.

“It’s always good to have someone to count on,” Teaberry said. “It’s good to know that you can depend on other people to help you out.”

Sophomore Nancy Nieto, new to the team, began her NIU career with a second-place finish in the 3000-meter run just in front of senior Meghan Ginter who finished third.

“She has a wonderful attitude about athletics and academics, and that’s just what we need on the team,” Teaberry said. “She has adjusted very well and we’re glad to have her as a Huskie.”

The Huskies also grabbed a pair of third-place finishes from the 4×400-meter relay team, consisting of Butler, Houghton, Chanel Kellyman and Kaylee Walters. Nicole Williams placed third in the high jump.

As NIU continues to succeed, the schedule gets tougher, which is exactly what Teaberry wants.

“Each weekend, we’ve added a little bit more difficulty to the schedule, and I think that’s what athletics are all about,” Teaberry said. “You don’t stay within your comfort zone when you’re competing. You have to step out and compete against those that you consider to be the best so that you can also become one of the best.”

The Huskies will continue their indoor season this Saturday at the Carle/Health Alliance Invitational in Champaign.