BROOKLYN, N.Y.— The LIU Brooklyn women's indoor track & field team will make its 2018-19 season debut this Saturday, December 1 in the Fast-Track Season Opener at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island, N.Y.

The defending Northeast Conference Indoor Track & Field champion Blackbirds return a veteran group for head coach Simon Hodnett and the reigning NEC Coaching Staff of the Year. Senior Shantae McDonald, the NEC Indoor Most Valuable Performer from the 2018 NEC Indoor Championships headlines the returning veteran corp. She struck gold in both the 60m hurdles and 200m dash a season ago, setting a meet record in the 200 with a time of 24.45. 

Senior Eugenie Hue also returns as the reigning NEC Indoor 400m champion after running a time of 55.18. Sophomores Ashley Blackwell and Tara Hernandez look to improve on their runner up finishes in the 60m and 500m last season. Stephanie Esogenwune is the team's returning leader for jumps. The junior picked up 12 points in last year's NEC Championship in the three jumping events. On the field side, NEC Indoor Most Outstanding Field Performer (Throws), junior Taylor Parker leads the returning Blackbirds. She won the shot put title last year with a time of 14.38m. 

In addition to the 11 upperclassmen, LIU added three first-year runners in Hyesh Taylor, Ekenedilichukwu Christine Onyech and Jasmine Douglas Grant. 

LIU will have nine meets in the metropolitan area, alternating between the Manhattan Armory and Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex to gear up for the Northeast Conference Championships that will take place February 15-16, 2019.