For the second consecutive week, and third time this season, an Eastern track and field athlete was named Ohio Valley Conference track or field athlete of the week.

This week, senior jumper Obe Eruteya was named co-field athlete of the week, while teammate and sophomore middle-distance runner Jason Springer was named co-track athlete of the week.

Eruteya received the honor for his performance in the triple jump at the Illinois Invitational in Champaign on Saturday. Eruteya was the only Eastern athlete to win first place. He won with a jump of 48 feet, 9 inches.

“Obe is a very talented guy, and he has his goals set higher than what he did this weekend,” said Eastern head men’s track coach Tom Akers.

This is the second time this season Eruteya has won the award.

Springer was named co-track athlete of the week for his personal best time of 1 minute, 53.74 seconds in the 800-meter run at the invitational.

“Springer is off to a great start, and it’s really nice to see somebody that puts that much work and effort into it to have the results he is having,” Akers said.

The sophomore’s time was good enough for second at the meet, and he has the best conference time in the 800-meter run.

Middle-distance group supporting team

The middle-distance team helped propel the Panthers to a third-place finish Saturday.

Junior David Holm and sophomores Wed Sheldon and Springer all came in second place.

Holm set a personal record in the mile (4:13.85), while Sheldon set a personal record and was second in the 1,000-meter run (2:30.72).

Akers said the group was deep and talented.

“The middle-distance crew has been really clutch,” said freshman sprinter Preston Smith. “They definitely showed their diversity and versatility by being able to run that long and be that successful.”

The surprising thing is the middle-distance team is not even at full strength.

Freshman middle-distance runner Nick Kuczwara did not race over the weekend and freshman middle-distance runner Justin Helpingstine did race but was not feeling well.

Emanuel works through injury

Senior sprinter Brenton Emanuel was named team competitor of the meet at Illinois.

This was the first time Emanuel raced since last season.

Emanuel had knee surgery last year, and his knee flared up again before Thanksgiving.

“To get out there and run as well as he did after all that time is very impressive,” Akers said. ‘It is just good to see him back out there in uniform.”

Emanuel placed 17th in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.31.

The co-performers of the week were Springer and Holm.

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

Sophomore jumper Ian Winston pratices the long jump during pratice in Lantz Field house. (John Bailey / The Daily Eastern News)

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