The Aurora University women's track team won the 2017 Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, the sixth consecutive year that the Spartan women have returned the crown to AU. The Spartans finished with 259.5 points, 45.5 points ahead of their closest competition.

AU seniors Taylor Jefford and Lisa Rodriguez and junior Hannah Meager had a tremendous NACC meet. Jefford was named the 2017 Overall Athlete of the Meet and Meager was the Field Athlete of the Meet. Jefford, Rodriguez and Meager were part of eight individual AU NACC Champions and two relay championships. Head Coach Brandon Sturman was named the NACC Co-Coach of the Year.

As a team, AU scored points in all but one event while having multiple Spartans on the award stand in four different events.

Top Aurora University Women's Performance:
100 meter – Lisa Rodriguez (1st - 12.00)
100 meter hurdles – Taylor Jefford (1st – 14.55)
200 meter – Lisa Rodriguez (1st – 23.96)
400 meter – Crystal Abernathy (1st – 1:00.27)
400 meter hurdles – Jackie Schane (8th – 1:13.60)
800 meter – Emily Vanderwaal (14th - 2:41.56)
1,500 meter – Jackie Schane (2nd - 4:52.03)
5,000 meter – Jackie Schane (1st – 18:20.65)
10,000 meter - Eyo Toe (5th - 43:03.05)
3,000 meter Steeplechase - Jazzmine Reyes (3rd - 12:21.35)
4x100 meter relay - Taylor Jefford / Crystal Abernathy / Lisa Rodriguez / Deterrica Simpkins (1st - 47.56)
4x400 meter relay - Crystal Abernathy / Jazzmine Reyes / Tammy Larson / Lisa Rodriguez / (1st - 4:01.19)
High Jump – Destinee Haugabook (4th – 1.51m)
Pole Vault – Rebecca Moore (2nd – 3.40m)
Long Jump – Taylor Jefford (2nd – 5.86m)
Triple Jump – Taylor Jefford (2nd – 11.28m)
Shot Put – Hannah Meager (1st - 12.74m)
Discus - Hannah Meager (1st - 43.06m)
Hammer – Hannah Meager (2nd – 46.34m)
Javelin – Adriana Ramirez (1st - 37.93m)
Heptathlon - Ashley Johnson (2nd - 3670 points)

NEXT ACTION:
Next action for the Spartan women's track and field team comes on Thursday, May 11 and Friday, March 12 when individuals compete in the Dr. Keeler Last Chance Meet at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Events begin at 11:45 am on Thursday and 3:00 p.m. on Friday.