The Illinois High School Association competitions are continuing at Eastern with the girls state track meet Thursday through Saturday at O’Brien Field.

Eastern also hosted an IHSA journalism competition May 1 and a girls badminton competition last weekend.

The boys track meet will begin next week with the same schedule, starting on May 28 and continuing to final events on May 30.

Mark Hudson, the director of Housing and Dining, said 2,500 people will be staying in university residence halls during each event.

The students for the girls track meet checked in to Lawson Hall and were able to use O’Brien Stadium for practice and warm-up on Wednesday.

Hudson said the number of students that attend the IHSA events every year is fairly consistent, unless rain hampers the students who advance to the state competition.

Hudson said Eastern has won the bid to have IHSA play at the university over the past several years, which helps to bring more potential new students onto campus.

Thursday’s competition will start off with a high jump at 10:30 a.m. and various running events at 11 a.m. The semifinals will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday, and finals begin at 10 a.m. Saturday. The boys competition will have the same schedule next weekend.

Tony Komada can be reached at 581-2812 or tskomada@eiu.edu.