The Eastern track team took a slight blow as they lost a handful of star athletes this season, but Eastern did add a few new competitors that will look to fill in the holes and compete at a high level.

One of these new additions to the team is a junior transfer student Pedra Hicks.

“There are a bunch on new freshman, some key returners and some promising transfer students that will help fill the holes on the team,” coach Tom Akers said.

Hicks; a 20-year-old junior transfer student originally from the south side of Chicago, came to Eastern from Central Arizona College after earning her associates degree in communications.

“I wanted to be closer to home and I just felt like this place was a good fit for me,” Hicks said. “The atmosphere here is nice and this team is supportive and great, it’s by far one of the best teams I’ve a part of in my track career.”

Hicks competes in a handful of events with her best being the 400-meter hurdles, 4×400 relay, and 400-meter run.

She is very excited for the season to start and is wanting to be a major contributor to the overall success of the team.

“My goal is to break the 400-meter hurdles record, PR in my events, stay healthy and just have a overall good year,” Hicks said.

She has high hopes for what she can do this season, and her solid work ethic and pre-meet rituals of pasta the night before, ice baths, healthy eating the day of, and praying will look to get her to her goals for this upcoming season.

The opening meet, the Eastern Early Bird, will be hosted in Lantz Fieldhouse Dec. 8 starting at 2 p.m. with field events and track events starting at 4 p.m.

Alex Hartman can be reached at 581-2812 or aihartman@eiu.edu