Regional Marks Hit At Big Blue Classic

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Taking advantage of the best weather for the Big Blue Classic in recent years, several Eastern Illinois athletes posted regional qualifying times as the three-day event wrapped up at O'Brien Field.

Five Eastern Illinois men hit NCAA regional marks while one female athlete passed the regional qualifying mark for the third straight week.

Zye Boey and DeMarcus Brooks landed one, two in both the 100m and 200m sprints with both freshmen passing the NCAA standard and cracking the EIU career top ten in both events. Boey placed first in the 100m with a time of 10.33 with Brooks second at 10.36. Both runners are now fourth and fifth on the EIU career list for the 100m. In the 200m Boey was first at 20.92 while Brooks was second at 21.11. This is the second straight week Brooks hit the regional mark but this week both runners did that and landed at number five and six in the EIU record book.

Ian Winston also climbed up the EIU record book placing third in the high jump with a mark of 6’10.75”. The was good enough to tie former jumper Obe Eruteya for third on the all-time Panthers charts and hit the NCAA regional mark.

On the women’s side Kandace Arnold won the shot put with a personal best of 48’06.25” as she cracked the NCAA mark in the event for the third time this season. Arnold is number two on the career shot put list chasing Valeta Strickland who set the EIU record of 49’5.50” back in 1987. Arnold also placed third in the discus on Saturday.

In relay action the quartet of Violet Nwordu, Shawana Smith, Tarra Grant and Chandra Golden teamed to set a Big Blue Classic meet record in the 4x100 relay with a time of 46.49. That time ranks third all-time on the EIU career list.

The men’s 4x400 relay team just missed hitting the NCAA regional mark as Brenton Pegues passed the Indiana State anchor man in the front stretch to cross the line in 3:10.89. The Panther squad moved into second all-time on the EIU relay list but missed the NCAA cut off of 3:10.00. Pegues also placed third in the 400m run on Saturday in a time of 47.52.

Nwordu, Smith and Golden all picked up first place finishes in individual events for the EIU women. Nwordu won the 100m dash in a time of 12.05 which landed 8th on the EIU all-time list. Smith led a one, two, three EIU finish in the 200m with a winning mark of 24.95. Nwordu was second and Bridget Sanchez third. Golden won the 100m hurdles in a time of 14.22.

Megan Gingerich also came from behind to pull out a victory in the 800m as her time of 2:16.39 ranks 10th on the EIU career list. Queenie Adeboyej placed second in the triple jump at 36’02.75” to round out the top three EIU women’s finishers.

Wes Sheldon posted a good early season mark winning the 800m in 1:52.84 with Justin Helpingstine in second at 1:53.46. Jason Springer was a third place finisher in the 1,500m run while senior Brad Butler placed third in the 5,000m run at 14:59.27.

Tyler Arnholt placed second in the men’s discus with a toss of 155’04”.

EIU returns to action next weekend at Lee Calhoun Classic hosted by Western Illinois.