It may only be the beginning of track season, but many of the athletes on the women’s indoor track team are approaching personal bests in a number of events.

According to Eastern head track coach Tom Akers, a lot athletes are ahead of where they were last year and are approaching their personal bests after only one meet.

“If you compare this year to last year, we are ahead from where we were,” Akers said. “It may be early in the year, but a lot of girls are close to their personal bests.”

Akers said this improvement is a combination of things including the hard work by the girls.

“Track training is an accumulation,” Akers said. “They have shown the benefit from working hard.”

Akers could not pinpoint one event improving more greatly than any other from last year, but said each event has stepped up from last season.

“Across the board every event has stepped it up,” Akers said. “A lot has happened since our last event in December so we’ll see if we can continue.”

Women’s team wins five events at Early Bird Invite

The women’s indoor track team won six events during the Early Bird Invite Dec. 8 at Lantz Fieldhouse. The Panthers defeated Butler and Western Illinois in the event.

In the track events red-shirt sophomore hurdler Chandra Golden won the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.87 seconds, while junior sprinter Shawana Smith won the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.58 seconds.

In the field events, sophomore thrower Kandace Arnold won the shot put event with a throw of 44 feet, 10.75 inches, junior jumper Jenna Uhe won the triple jump with a jump of 39 feet, 01.59 inches, and junior Nicole Walcott won the high jump with a jump of 5 feet, 3.75 inches.

Smith said the first meet showed a lot of promise and was impressed by the performances of freshman Kasey Wilson and Golden.

“Our first meet showed a lot of potential,” Smith said. “(Wilson) did good in the 200-meters and (Golden) did a great job in winning the 60-meter hurdles.”

Smith said she ran a personal best in the 60-meter dash.

“I think personally I did alright,” Smith said. “I ran a personal best 7.72 seconds and that’s encouraging because it shows I can get down to 7 seconds.”

Second shot at Indiana State at Mega Meet

The second meet of the season for both and men’s and women’s indoor track teams will be the EIU mega meet Jan. 19 at Lantz Field house.

The Panthers will get another shot at Indiana State, the only team to beat them at the Early Bird Invite.

Akers said it will be good to see Indiana State again, because they match up well and are good competition.

“ISU will be back at the mega meet and that will be good,” Akers said. “They are always good competition and it will let us see where we are.”

Smith said the team is looking forward to avenging the loss from early in the season.

“We are looking forward to redeeming the loss from earlier in the season,” Smith said. “With the first meet there are always a lot of jitters, so this time I think we will be more relaxed.”

Dan Cusack may be reached at 581-7944 or at dscusack@eiu.edu.

Junior Jenna Uhe practices her long jump during practice Tuesday afternoon in the Lantz Fieldhouse. The Track and Field teams are preparing for the upcoming EIU Mega Meet on Jan. 19. (Eric Hiltner

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