The Panther track and field teams participated in two meets over the weekend. Twenty-three athletes traveled up to the University of Illinois to compete in the Illinois Challenge. Thirty more athletes went to compete in the Jaguar Invite at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. 

Eastern’s 4×400 meter team, consisting of freshman Billy Bailey Jr., freshman Daniel Lacy, senior Ricky Johnson and senior Cameron Yarbrough, came out of the weekend ranked first in the Ohio Valley Conference, with a personal record time of 3:14:13. Eleven other athletes followed suit, earning PRs of their own.   

Junior Isai Morales took first place in the 800-meter dash at IUPUI with a time of 1:54. He ran the mile the day before his 800, where he won his heat with a nine-second PR, finishing at 4:17.   

Three Panthers finished in the top five of the women’s 3k at IUPUI. Senior Kylie Decker finished in second place and hit a 16-second PR. Junior Kylie Haacke and freshman Bella Marcum followed, placing third and fifth respectively. Haacke beat her best time by two seconds, while Marcum ran five seconds faster than her best time.   

Freshman Brenda Torres won her heat in the mile at IUPUI. Her time was 5:11.03, which was a seven-second PR. 

Freshman Taji Mathis-Akinremi had a PR in the 60-meter dash with a time of 6.98. He finished fourth in the 60m at the Illinois Challenge.  

Sophomore pole vaulter Zac Stout hit a mark of 4.56m, which was a PR for him.  

Sophomore Rylea Borgic and sophomore Michael Atkins both hit a PR over the weekend. Borgic got a PR in 800 with a time of 2:22.02. Atkins got a nine-second PR in the 3k with a time of 8:29. 

Sophomore Aiden Gonzalez also got a PR in 5k. Junior Ethan Black got an indoor PR in the 5k as well. 

The track team will be racing again on Friday at the Notre Dame Meyo Invitational. 

Aidan Cusack can be reached at 581-2812 or at densportsdesk@gmail.com.