A vote by track and field coaches of the Ohio Valley Conference selected Eastern and Southeast Missouri to win the men’s track and field title. The men will look to regain their title, as they had won it for seven years in a row before losing it to Eastern Kentucky last season.

The women’s team also was picked to finish atop the conference. With an OVC Championship, the women will regain the title that they held in 2007.

“I think that coming off the indoor season everyone just assumes that we are going to win outdoors, but Southeast Missouri is a real tough team to beat outside,” said Eastern head coach Tom Akers. “Southeast Missouri has a thrower that they did not have indoors, their top (400-meter) runner, their top distance runner did not run for them indoors and one of their top jumpers did not run for them indoors.”

Akers said with these athletes competing, it will be a real difference for the Redhawks. However, the Panthers believe they have some difference makers of their own.

One of those difference makers is red-shirt freshman Zye Boey. Boey, who has already won OVC Indoor Freshman of the Year award, has continued his dominance as he finished first in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes last week at the Big Blue Classic.

With his impressive showing last week, Boey earned himself OVC Male Track Athlete of the Week honors and also placed himself fourth on the Eastern record list in the 100-meter dash in 10.33 seconds.

In the 200-meter dash, he moved himself to the fifth spot in the Eastern list in 20.92 seconds. To go along with that, he also helped the Panthers win the 1,600-meter relay.

“I love the relay events, but I like the open events because it’s all about you,” Boey said. “If you mess up there is no one to blame, but yourself. Plus, I’m a lot more successful in individual events.”

Although Boey was successful in both events, he said he would like to do better.

He is looking to be top runner in the Eastern record books.

Boey already holds the number one spot for the indoor 60-meter and 200-meter dashes.

If Boey and the rest of his teammates continue their dominant performances and continue to lower their times, the OVC may want to vote again come meet time.

Bob Shaughnessy can be reached at 581-7944 or at rrshaughnessy@eiu.