Track brief
None of the six Eastern athletes who traveled to the Last Chance Meet at Notre Dame last weekend produced times that would advance them to the NCAA Division 1 National track meet.
Senior mile runner Dan Stracklejahn was the closest of Eastern finishers with a time of 4:07.62, two seconds short of the provisional qualifying time.
The only member of the women’s team to make the trip, junior Nicole Flounders, came up short in her performance as well. Her time of 5:11.46 seconds left her almost half a minute away from the provisional qualifying mark.
Junior triple jumper Obe Eruteya who entered the competition with previous performances closest to qualifying standards fouled at the meet and did not post a distance.
Fellow triple jumper Jason Stark jumped 47 feet, 5 inches, a distance over three feet below his provisional qualifying goal.
Sophomore hurdler Kirkland Thornton made it to finals Saturday. But a false start ended his chances to qualify.
Freshman pole vaulter Dorian White, though ranking third, vaulted only 15 feet, 9 inches, two inches short of the provisional qualifying standard.
Junior Kyle Ellis, who also competed in the pole vault, did not register a performance in his event.
The mini-squad officially ended their indoor season and will rejoin their teams for the first meet of the outdoor season March 25 at Carbondale for the SIU Collegiate Series.