Tracks Heads Down I-57 To Memphis

 

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois men’s and women’s track will look to continue their spring success as they head south on Interstate 57 this weekend to compete in the Memphis Tiger Invite. The event will take place all day Saturday at the Murphy Track Complex.

The Panthers are coming off a pair of team wins at the Lee Calhoun Memorial hosted by Western Illinois last weekend. Freshman sprinter DeMarcus Brooks was named the OVC Track Athlete of the Week after winning the 100m and 200m sprints. Additional first place finishers for the men last week in Macomb were Brenton Pegues in the 400m and Brad Butler in the 10,000m.

On the women’s side Chandra Golden was a first place finisher in the 100m hurdles while Nicole Walcott placed first in the shot put and was runner-up in the high jump based on number of attempts.

Already this season EIU has had four athletes qualify for the NCAA Regional to be held in Louisville. On the men’s side Brooks and Zye Boey had both earned bids in the 100m and 200m sprints. Ian Winston has hit the NCAA standard in the high jump. On the women’s side Kandace Arnold hit the NCAA mark in the shot put.

The event will be a non-scoring meet with athletes competing from host Memphis, Middle Tennessee State, Western Illinois, Rhodes College, Lindenwood University, SIU Edwardsville, Harding University, Hendrix College, Lipscomb, Rust College, Christian Brothers, Belmont, Murray State and Jacksonville State.

Following this weekend, EIU will split its squad to compete at the Drake Relays and SIU Edwardsville Twilight in their final tune-up for the 2009 OVC Championships to be hosted by Eastern Kentucky.