EIU Hosts OVC Indoor Track & Field Championship

The Eastern Illinois indoor track & field teams finished their regular season on a high note as the men finished the EIU Friday Night Special in first place overall, with the women ending the event in a close second place. The Panthers will host the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship this weekend in the Lantz Fieldhouse. Daily admission for the OVC Indoor Track & Field Championship is $1 for students (with valid ID) and $5 for adults.

PANTHERS TOP-THREE IN THE OVC
With the OVC Championships coming up this weekend, multiple EIU indoor track & field members are currently ranked in the top 3 in their respective individual events.

For the men, the Panthers hold the top-two times in the 60-meter dash. Johnathan Boey recorded the top-time in the event this season at 6.79, with teammate Jamal Robinson coming in a close second at 6.83. Robinson also ranks second in the 200-meter dash at 21.86.

Riley McInerney holds the top-spot in the mile run at 4:05.81 and the 3000-meter run at 8:10.05.

John Piper ranks first in the OVC in the 60-meter hurdles with his time of 8.17.

In the field events, the Eastern Illinois men have four members within the top-three in their respective events. Riley Kittridge leads the way in the shot put with his top throw of 56'02.00", while Adam Kessler ranks third in the event at 54'08.00".

Davion McManis ranks third in the long jump this season with his leap of 23'04.00", while Nick Phillips ranks third in the weight throw at 56'10.00".

For the EIU women, Kristen Paris leads the conference in the 800-meter run as her top-time this season is 2:09.69 in the event. Julie James also ranks in the top-three in the event as her time of 2:12.30 is the third-best this season.

Darneisha Spann ranks in second-place in the OVC in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.59. Anita Saffa holds the third-best time in the 60-meter dash at 7.56.

Ruth Garippo recorded the third-best 5000-meter run time in the conference earlier this season at 16:55.22.

The Panthers hold the top-spot in the conference in three field events entering this weekend's meet. Bryn Buckwalter is credited with a pair of top-marks in the throwing events. Her first-place throw in the shot put is 49'07.75" and 57'11.25" in the weight throw.

Haleigh Knapp cleared the bar at an even, 5'10.00", in the high jump earlier this season, which ranks first in the conference.

ABOUT THE OVC INDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIP
The 2017 OVC Indoor Track & Field Championship will be held this Friday and Saturday inside the Lantz Fieldhouse on the Eastern Illinois campus. Last season the Eastern Illinois men's team claimed the 2016 Championship, marking their 16th overall title, and the first since 2013. Tennessee State won the women's division, marking the fifth championship in program history.

Action for both days at the OVC Indoor Track & Field Championships will begin at 9 a.m.