Gingerich, Schmitz lead teams in meets

The Eastern track and field team competed at two different meets for the second straight weekend, sending squads to the Drake Relays and also the Stan Lyons Invite in Indianapolis, Ind.

The Panthers had only eight individuals competing in the Drake Relays, held in Des Moines, Iowa. The meet, which has been held annually for over 100 years, is one of the biggest track and field events in the nation.

Leading the way for the Panthers was red-shirt junior Megan Gingerich, the only individual female competitor for the team at the meet. Gingerich posted a time of 2:07.32 in the 800-meter run to take fifth place in the event.

Her time marks as her season best, and falls only one second short of her school record, set last season. Junior Shakeeri Cole of Oklahoma won the event with a time of 2:06.53. Cole is the nation's No. 1 runner in both the women's 400 and 800-meter runs.

Gingerich said competing at events like the Drake Relays and Kansas Relays help the team by exposing them to top competition.

"It definitely puts us against some tougher competition, so when it comes time for (the Ohio Valley Conference Championship) and we're against some schools that are closer to our size rather than schools that are Big Ten schools, I think it gives us a little more confidence," Gingerich said.

"You feel good to compete against good competition and kind of get yourself pumped up before (the OVC Championship) a few weeks before it," Gingerich said.

Gingerich said she gets a great feeling from competing at one of the biggest meets in the country.

The top finishers for the men's team were junior long-jumper Tyler Carter and red-shirt senior Tyler Arnholt.

Carter recorded a mark of 24-feet, 8.25-inches to finish in sixth place. Carter's jump now ranks as the No. 9 all-time best in Eastern history.

Carter passes Eastern Hall of Famer John Craft in the top ten list. Craft had a jersey retired in his honor at the Panthers' first home indoor meet of the season earlier this year. Arnholt finished fifth in the discus with a throw of 173-feet, 10-inches.

In the 4x200-meter relay, the team of senior Darren Patterson, red-shirt sophomore Jacob Mitchell, red-shirt senior Pat Tortorici and freshman Kaleel Johnson finished in fifth place with a time of 1:26.78.

In the 4x100-meter relay, the team of Patterson, Mitchell, red-shirt junior Zye Boey and Johnson advanced to the event's finals with a time of 40.60 seconds.

The women's 4x800-meter relay team recorded a time of 9:02.92 to finish 10th in the event. The team comprised of sophomores Erika Ramos and Paige Biehler, junior Erika Foltys and Gingerich.

Meanwhile at the Stan Lyons Invite, sophomore pole vaulter Abigail Schmitz made Eastern history, becoming the first Panther woman to ever the 12-foot mark in the event. Schmitz's mark of 12-feet, 1.25 inches sets a new Eastern record for women's pole vaulting. She placed third in the event.

Also adding his name to the Eastern record books, senior Donald Romero placed third in the men's hammer throw, making him the third all-time best in Eastern history. Romero recorded a throw of 193-feet, 6-inches.

"It's always an awesome experience. I went for the first time my sophomore year. It really is one of the biggest track meets in the nation on this weekend. It's an awesome experience to be able and go and watch some of the races," Gingerich said.

The Panthers will continue next week at the OVC Outdoor Championships.


Dominic Renzetti can be reached at 581-7944
or dcrenzetti@eiu.edu