Boey, Ramos, Viken Lead EIU Track

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Zye Boey earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday afternoon as he helped pace the Eastern Illinois men’s track and field team to a second place finish at the Illinois Intercollegiate. The Panther women also turned in a strong team performance to place third. 

Boey won both the 60m and 200m dash at the meet held at the University of Illinois Armory. Boey set the meet record in the 60m dash winning the race with a time of 6.70. He would come back to win the 200m with a time of 21.14 which set the Armory record and clinched an automatic berth to the NCAA Indoor Championships. 

Boey’s effort led a strong overall performance by the EIU men’s team that entered the meet ranked No. 11 in the Midwest Region. The Illinois men won the meet with 255 points followed by EIU with 149. Illinois State was third followed by DePaul, Western Illinois, SIU Edwardsville and McKendree. 

On the women’s side Illinois won the overall title with 263 points followed by Illinois State with 131 and EIU with 78. DePaul was fourth with Western Illinois, SIU Edwardsville, Bradley and McKendree rounding out the field. 

Erika Ramos posted the lone women’s first place finish as she placed first in the 800m run. Her time of 2:13.43 ranks second in EIU history as she edged Amanda Duvendack of Illinois.Megan Gingerich was third at 2:16.49 with Erika Foltys placing fifth at 2:17.52. 

Mick Viken and the EIU men’s 4x400 relay team posted the additional first place finishes for the Panthers. Viken won the pole vault with a mark of 17’1” which ties the school record previously set by current pole vault coach Kyle Ellis. The 4x400 relay team won with a time of 3:16.59 winning by less than a second over Illinois which crossed at 3:17.12. The 4x400 team consisted of Darren Patterson, Cody Boarman, Preston Smith and Patrick Tortorici. 

Eastern Illinois overall team effort was led by several top five finishes on the men’s side. In the 200m Patterson (22.15), Jacob Mitchell (22.50) and Chris Wright (22.74) placed third through fifth. Tortorici and Boarman were fourth and fifth in the 400m run while Chad Aubin was fifth in the 600m. Tortorici had a time of 49.73 while Boarman had a mark of 50.02. Aubin’s 600m time was 1:22.45. 

Wes Sheldon led a solid finish in the 800m as he placed second at 1:54.00. Ryan Ballard was fourth at 1:59.37 and Reid Basting was fifth at 2:00.33. Connor Kustief was the fourth place finisher in the mile run at 4:17.33. Dominique Hall and Lamarr Pottinger rounded out the top five men’s track finishers in the 60m hurdles. Hall was third at 8.11 while Pottinger was fourth at 8.25. 

In men’s field events Joe Noonan moved up to fifth on the EIU career list with a third place showing in the pole vault at 16’5.25”.  Kris Gehrke was third in the high jump at 6’6” whileBryce Hogan was second in the long jump at 22’4.25” and fourth in the triple jump at 43’3.75”. 

Sophomore Jill MacEachen was fourth in the women’s 60m hurdles at 9.09 while the 4x400 relay team placed third at 3:58.69. The relay team consisted of Bridget Sanchez, Klaudia Susul, Emily Quinones and Gingerich. 

The EIU women had a strong showing in field events led by a pair of third place finishes in the jumps. Jaimee Roy was third in the long jump at 17’9.25” while Queenie Abeboyejo was third in the triple jump at 38’1.25”. Jalisa Paramore was fourth in the high jump clearing 5’3.25”. 

Frisline Saintoiry was the top finisher in women’s field events with a weight throw mark of 50’11” placing fourth. 

EIU will compete at the Notre Dame Meyo Invite next Friday and Saturday.