A pair of Northern Michigan University women's track and field athletes who were named All-Americans join the Wildcats' 4-by-400-meter relay team that just missed All-American honors and their coaches at the NCAA DIvision II Championships held at Pittsburg (Kans.) State last weekend on March 8-9, 2019. From left are NMU assistant coach Mike Dellemann, relay members Sydney McPeters and Lynsey Collins, high jump All-American Michelle Juergen, 800 run All-American and relay member Shayla Huebner, relay member Paige Dutcher, head track and field coach Jenny Ryan and assistant coach Luke Pease. (Photo courtesy of NMU)

By Journal Sports Staff

PITTSBURG, Kansas — Marquette Senior High School graduate Shayla Huebner led the Northern Michigan University women’s indoor track and field team at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships last weekend at Pittsburg State University.

Huebner was one of two Wildcats named All-Americans after she finished in sixth place in the 800-meter run.

The NMU senior clocked 2 minutes, 10.13 seconds on the first day of the meet on March 8 in the 800 preliminary race to qualify for the finals, then improved that time to 2:09.73 as she used a late kick to earn First Team All-American honors.

Northern also had an All-American in senior Michelle Juergen in the high jump. Juergen cleared 5-feet-6 to finish 10th and earn Second Team All-American status.

Huebner almost picked up another All-American award after the 4-by-400 relay she participated with missed the elite status by one place, finishing 11th in 3:47.32, less than a second out of the important 10th-place position.

The relay quartet also included junior Sydney McPeters and senior Lynsey Collins and Paige Dutcher.

The Wildcats finished in a tie for 44th place with 3 points among 92 schools that competed at the meet.

The NMU track team takes several weeks off before opening its outdoor sesaon on March 29-30 at two meets. Some athletes will travel to the Raleigh Relays hosted by North Carolina State, while others will be at the St. Norbert Quad Meet at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.