Track Athletes Head To Louisville Twilight

LOUISVILLE TWILIGHT SCHEDULE  | 

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Coming off its third straight Ohio Valley Conference championship the Eastern Illinois men's and women's track teams will head to the Louisville Twilight on Friday for a last chance meet prior to the NCAA West Regional meet in Oregon in two weeks.

EIU men's track team currently ranks 36th in the nation with Zye Boey, Mick Viken and Tyler Carter all holding national rankings. Boey is ranked 8th in the 100m and 11th in the 200m nationally. Viken is currently 5th nationally in the pole vault while Carter is 45th in the long jump.

The top 48 competitors in each event in the West and East Regions will qualify for the regional for a chance to advance to the NCAA National Championships. The West Regional, which EIU competes in, will be hosted by the University of Oregon. The East Regional will be hosted by Indiana University. The NCAA National Championships will take place at Drake University.

EIU currently has seven men's athletes and one female athlete ranked in the top 48 in the region as they head into the meet at Louisville. Megan Gingerich is the lone women's athlete in the top 48 as she ranks 46th in the 800m. Bridget Sanchez is just outside the top 48 ranking 53rd in the 400m

On the men's side Boey is 5th in the region in both the 100m and 200m. Viken is ranked 4th in the pole vault and Carter is ranked 20th in the long jump.

Darren Patterson and Pat Tortorici look to have secure spots for the regional in running events. Patterson is 32nd in the 400m while Tortorici is 30th in the 400m hurdles. Dominique Hall sits just outside the top 48 as he is ranked 49th in the 110m hurdles.

In field events Tyler Arnholt and Donald Romero have both secured top 48 spots entering the final week. Arnholt is 31st in the discus while Romero is 37th in the hammer.