Track Looks Strong In MEGA Meet

CHARLESTON, Ill.- The Eastern Illinois men’s and women’s track team performed strong in their first meet of the spring semester as they hosted the EIU Mega Meet Saturday at Lantz Fieldhouse.

The teams combined to win 15 total events with Kandace Arnold scoring two wins in the weight throw and shot put. Arnold won the weight throw with a mark of 55’ 2.25” nearly two feet farther from the second place Brianna Egbuka of Southeast Missouri. In the shot put, Arnold won with a mark of 46’9” nearly two feet farther than Egbuka.

Freshman Jamiee Roy also had success for the women in field events as she won the long jump with a clearing 17’07”. Sophomore Queenie Abeboyej captured second place in the triple jump with a jump of 39’2”.

On the track side for the women, senior Chandra Golden won the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.81. Sophomore Bridget Sanchez finished first in the 600 meter run with a time of 1:40.48. The Panthers swept the 1000 meter run with Megan Gingerich finishing first at 3:04.51, Paige Bieher finishing second at 3:11.35 and Gena Nance finishing third at 3:14.40.

Other top performances for the women included Meghan Carney finishing third in the 800m run and Erin O’Grady finishing second in the 3000m with a time of 10:15.80. The time was good enough for eighth on the EIU record book.

On the men’s side, Marcus Williams finished first in the 600m with a time of 1:21.65. Teammate Preston Smith finished just behind with a time of 1:22.86, which was good enough for third place. The Panthers swept the 800m as Sean Wiggan won the event with a time of 1:53.21. Jason Springer came in second place with a time of 1:53.37 and Reid Basting finished in third at 1:56.94. Wiggan, Springer and Basting later teamed with Darren Patterson to win the 4x400 relay with a time of 3:20.53.  Mike Connolly won the 1000m with a time of 2:35.32.

Other top performers for the Panthers included a third place finish by Justin Washington in the weight throw, a second place finish by Lamarr Pottinger in the 60 meter hurdles and a second place finish by Graham Morris in the 3000m.

Both the men’s and women’s team will continue the season next Saturday at Lantz Arena as the Panthers host the Illinois Intercollegiate.