Panther Track Looks Strong In Opening Meet

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois opened the 2010 outdoor track season in a strong fashion as the Panthers won the EIU Invite on the women’s side while finishing second on the men’s side. The meet was scored as a double dual meet with teams from Indiana State, Loyola-Chicago, SIU Edwardsville and UW Milwaukee also participating. 

EIU won all four head-to-head match-ups on the women’s side edging Indiana State (102.5 to 95.5), beating Loyola (131 to 41), beating SIUE (115 to 66) and picking up a win over UWM (113.5 to 67.5). On the men’s side EIU won three of four match-ups. The lone loss was a 105 to 88 set back to ISU. EIU outscored Loyola (125 to 21), SIUE (93 to 80) and UWM (107 to 66). The Panthers will be back in action next weekend hosting the Neil Moore Multi’s and Big Blue Classic at O’Brien Field. 

Senior Kandace Arnold led the women in field events posting two first place finishes and a one second place effort at the meet. Arnold started the meet setting the school record in the hammer throw with a toss of 171’ as she finished in first place. She would come back to win the shot put with an effort of 48’4.25” before finishing in second place in the discus at 142’3”. 

Fellow senior runner Shawana Smith also put up similar numbers on the track with two first place finishes and a second. Smith won the 200m run with a time of 25.32. She was runner-up in the 100m dash at 12.29. She capped her day as part of the 4x100 relay team that won with a time of 47.82. She teamed with Emily Quinones, Chandra Golden and Bridget Sanchez to win the event. 

Quinones and Sanchez were also members of the 4x400 relay team that placed second with a mark of 3:56.73. That relay team also included Caitlin Finnegan and Megan Gingerich. 

Gingerich won the 800m run with a time of 2:12.85 which is sixth best on the EIU career charts. Golden won the 100m hurdles in a time of 14.52. Britney Whitehead was the other Panther women’s first place finisher winning the Steeplechase at 12:41.50. 

Second place finishers for the EIU women included Caitlin Napoleoni in the Steeplechase at 12:42.40, Finnegan in the 400m hurdles at 1:04.21 and Olivia Klaus in the 1500m run at 4:44.50. 

On the men’s side Brandon Jelks and Sean Wiggan led the EIU squad with first place finishes. Jelks won the 100m dash with a time of 10.94. Wiggan was a winner in the 800m run at 1:54.22. Wiggan also ran a leg on the 4x400 relay team that placed first with a time of 3:16.26. Joining Wiggan on the winning team were Chad Aubin, Wes Sheldonand Marcus Williams. 

Williams was a second place finisher in the 400m run with a time of 48.14. Jason Springer rounded out the Panther men’s top two finishes on the track with a runner-up spot in the 1500m run at 3:57.40. 

In field events two EIU men also placed second in their respective events. Tyler Arnholt was second in the discus throw with a mark of 157’6” while Sean Hopkins was second in the javelin at 157’6”.