Clover grad Hughes to compete at NAIA Nationals

Current Marian University and Cloverdale graduate Keely Hughes hit the NAIA A standard at the Crossroads Conference Track and Field Meet, qualifying for the NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships this week in South Dakota.

Courtesy Photo

Keeley Hughes, a 2020 Cloverdale graduate, will compete in the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships in South Dakota for the weight throw.

Hughes was a Western Indiana Conference champion in discus and regional qualifier for the Clovers in 2019. Due to COVID, she was unable to compete in high school in 2020.

Keeley has continued to excel at Marian University, where she has attained All-Crossroads Conference honors in the the weight throw and now a berth at Nationals.

To receive an automatic bid to Nationals, athletes must throw a minimum of 16.3m. On Feb. 9, Hughes qualified at the ‘B’ standard with a throw of 16.04m, giving her a chance to make Nationals.

Hughes followed that up the next weekend on Feb. 17 with a PR of 16.48m at the Crossroads Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, finishing runner-up in the event and surpassing the ‘A’ standard and securing an automatic bid to the NAIA Nationals in South Dakota.

The NAIA Indoor Track and Field Championships begin Thursday, Feb 29 with the weight throw taking place on Friday, March 1 at 4 p.m. EDT/3 p.m. CT.