EIU Captures Three Top Track Awards

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Eastern Illinois track and field claimed three of the Ohio Valley Conference's top awards as the league made the announcement on Thursday afternoon.  Zye Boey, Mick Viken and Jade Riebold all won Athlete of the Year honors.

Boey claimed his third OVC Track Athlete of the Year award in his four year outdoor career.  This season he was named the OVC Athlete of the Week four times and currently leads the OVC in the 100m and 200m.  He ran a leg on the 4x100 relay that also ranks first in the OVC.  After missing the OVC Championships last year due to injury, Boey will look to win his third title in both sprint events.  Entering the weekend Boey is ranked ninth nationally in the 200m and 15th nationally in the 100m.

Viken earned his first OVC Field Athlete of the Year award after dominating the pole vault event.  He will head to the OVC Championships to defend his title from last season.  This year Viken has posted a league best pole vault height of 17'8.50” which set the EIU school record and ranks 12th nationally.  Viken was the OVC Athlete of the Week last week after placed first in the Drake Relays pole vault.

Riebold earned her first OVC Field Athlete of the Year award after reaching new heights in the pole vault.  She is ranked sixth in the nation in the event with a season best of 14'1.75” which set an O'Brien Stadium and EIU school record.  That height qualified the sophomore for the US Olympic Trials this summer.  She has won the last three OVC Athlete of the Week awards and won the Drake Relays pole vault last weekend.

EIU will open defense of its OVC Outdoor Track Championships on Friday at Noon in Cape Girardeau, Mo.