NIU women’s track and field head coach Shantel Twiggs knows the importance of early season meets.

There will be no exception to that belief this weekend when her team travels to Illinois State University for the Early Bird Classic.

“We are very very excited,” Twiggs said. “It has been three long months of fall conditioning.”

This weekend’s meet at Horton Field House will feature 13 teams, including Western Illinois, Eastern Illinois, Bradley and the host.

“I think it’s going be some pretty good competition,” Twiggs said. “It’s really going to be a test for us. It’s going to let us know haw far we need to go and where we are now.”

The event will be strictly an individual meet and no team scores will be kept.

The Huskies will be led by returning letter-winners Laura Dunn and Maggie Kuebel.

Dunn held seven top times last season and also set two school records. The sophomore’s 10:55.90 in the 3,000 meter run and her 11:30.10 in the 3,000 meter steeplechase were NIU records.

Kuebel returns as the Huskies’ top thrower from last year.

The sophomore’s 40’01 shot put throw at the Eastern Michigan Invitational proved to be NIU’s indoor best.

The Huskies also are expecting good things from their sprint group.

NIU has brought in two state qualifying sprinters for the 2001 season.

Sheena Hill finished third in class AA in the 400 meters in 2000, and Michelle Gotto was the runner-up in both the 100 and 200 meters in Wisconsin.

“This is a really good measuring stick for the team,” Twiggs said. “Hopefully it will let us know where we are and how far we need to go. I think we are going to give a lot of people a different viewpoint of NIU and it’s track and field program.”