KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan track and field program will open the indoor season on Friday at the GVSU Holiday Open. The meet is set to begin at 1 PM at the Kelly Family Sports Center. 

WELCOME BACK
The Broncos have a wealth of talent returning from last year's team, but Sandra Ferrari, Mabinty Kebe, Bri'Yanna Robinson and Lillian Zelasko highlight the group of returners. Ferrari was a First Team All-MAC honoree and named the MAC Freshman Field Performer of the Year at last year's Indoor MAC Championships. She won the 60-meter hurdles and finished second in the long jump at the meet. She was also an NCAA Regional qualifier during outdoor season. 

Kebe was a Second Team All-MAC honoree, as she finished as the runner-up in the 60-meter hurdles at the MAC Championships. Kebe was also an NCAA Regional qualifier in outdoor season. Robinson returns for another season after rewriting the record book last year. She owns the program record for shot put in indoor and outdoor. 

Zelasko was a standout distance runner, competing at the USATF U20 Championships as a freshman last season. She also posted a career-best 10K time of 35:33.48 at the MAC Championships. She was Second Team All-MAC and an All-Region in cross country this season. 

YOU'RE NEW HERE
WMU welcomes 10 new faces to the track and field program this year. Distance wise, Grace Aurand, Shannon Gillahan, Ava Kurczewski, Lara Machado Pereira, Lily Overton and Reagan Viau join the mix. Aurand, Machado Pereira and Overton were all in the scoring lineup for the Broncos at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional meet earlier this year. 

The throws team welcomes two newcomers in Rissa Bajusz and Thierry Campbell. Bajusz has been a Bronco for the last four years, serving as a pitcher for the WMU softball team. She was the MAC Pitcher of the Year last season. Campbell comes to WMU after spending two seasons at Eastern Michigan. Campbell has competed in the shot put, weight throw and hammer throw throughout her career. 

On the sprints, hurdles, jumps side, Jade Celestine and Angel Pratt enter the program as transfers. Celestine is from Akron, while Pratt comes from North Dakota State. Celstine and Pratt bolster a group that saw great success last season. Celestine has strong times in the 60m, 60m hurdles, 100m hurdles, 200m, 400m and 400m hurdles. Pratt competed in just about every event for NDSU, recording great marks in the 60m hurdles, 100m, 100m hurdles, 200m, 300m, 400m, 400m hurdles, 800m, high jump, long jump, shot put and pentathlon. 

RECORD BREAKERS
Last season was a special one for Bronco track and field, as the program rewrote the record book for both the indoor and outdoor seasons. In every meet last season, Western Michigan had at least one top-10 time/mark in program history. That also led to four athletes being invited to the NCAA Regional meet in Kentucky and one advancing to the NCAA Championships in Oregon. 

In total, WMU saw six new program records last season, including Kayla Schiera in the 3K steeplechase. She went on to become a Second Team All-American. 

WHO'S COMPETING (Denotes PR)
200M DASH
Jade Celestine (25.84)
Mimi Joseph (Event Debut)
Layla Wallace (Event Debut)

400M DASH
Soniya Jones (Event Debut)
Layla Wallace (1:00.92)

800M 
Rebekah Asselin (2:18.55)
Reagan Viau (College Debut)
LaJeanee' Porter (2:21.60)

60M HURDLES
Jade Celestine (8.73)

TRIPLE JUMP
Sandra Ferrari (Event Debut)

SHOT PUT
Tess Van Dyk (14.08 meters)

WEIGHT THROW
Bri'Yanna Robinson (20.24 meters)
Thierry Campbell (12.44 meters)