Track & Field To Compete At GVSU Big Meet

The Eastern Illinois University indoor track & field team had a strong performance at the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational this past weekend as the Panthers moved into the top 10 charts in program history in eight different events. The Panthers will travel this weekend to the Grand Valley State Big Meet this Friday [Feb. 12] for the one-day event. The Grand Valley State Big Meet will take place in the Kelly Family Sports Center located on the Grand Valley State campus in Allendale, Mich.

PANTHERS EARN TOP 10 RECORD TIMES
At the Meyo Invitational, eight events finished amongst the top 10 ranks in EIU program history. Seven of the eight record times were earned during individual events, with the last one occurring in the women's distance medley relay.

Anita Saffa placed herself amongst the top 10 ranks in both the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash. Saffa moved into fourth place in both events as she finished the 60-meter dash at 7.60 and the 200-meter dash at 24.81.

Both Maria Baldwin and Rachel Garippo earned top 10 marks in the 5000-meter run. Baldwin moved into fifth all-time (17:17.35), as Garippo moved into sixth all-time (17:28.41) for the event.

Amy Yeoman crossed the line with the fourth best time in EIU history for the 800-meter run at 2:11.43, as teammate Kristen Rohrer ended the mile run at 4:59.68 for the eighth best mark all-time.
Yeoman and Rohrer teamed up with Amina Jackson and Dhiaa Dean in the women's distance medley relay. The quartet ended the event with a time of 11:53.11 and finished with the second best time in program history.

Riley McInerney moved into the top 10 charts for the EIU men with his finish in the 3000-meter run. Riley posted a time of 8:16.94 and moved into ninth all-time for the event.

MCINERNEY NAMED CO-OVC MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
With his record performance this past weekend at the Meyo Invitational, McInerney was named as the co-Ohio Valley Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week. McInerney's time of 8:16.94 is currently the top mark in the OVC. He also helped lead the EIU men's distance medley relay to a fourth place finish overall at the Meyo Invitational (10:00.22). The honor was the first for McInerney in his career.

ABOUT THE GRAND VALLEY STATE BIG MEET
The Grand Valley State Big Meet will open Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. (CST) with the running events. The men's 5000-meter run will be the opening event of the meet. The field events will begin at 11:30 a.m. (CST) with the men's and women's long jump being the first field event. The women's and men's 4x400-meter relay events are expected to begin at 6:00 p.m. (CST) and will be the final events for the Grand Valley State Big Meet.

Following Friday night's action at the Grand Valley State Big Meet, the Eastern Illinois indoor track & field teams will return home to host the EIU Friday Night Special on Feb. 19 in the Lantz Fieldhouse.