Ten Panthers Earn NCAA Track Regional Bids

AUSTIN, Texas - Ten Eastern Illinois athletes and one relay team will continue their track and field seasons as the NCAA announced the fields for the West Regional set to take place this Thursday through Saturday at the University of Texas. 

This season the NCAA combined the normal four regional sites into two sites which serve as the prelim rounds for the NCAA National Championships. The top 48 individuals and 24 relay teams in each region will compete with the top 12 individuals in each regional earning a trip to the NCAA National Championships. 

Senior Kandace Arnold will be entered in two events as an individual competitor as she is seeded 13th in the shot put and 22nd in the discus. 

Zye Boey and Darren Patterson have also earned two spots on the men's side as both will compete as individuals and as members of the 4x100 relay team. Boey is seeded 29th in the 100m while Patterson is 31st in the 400m. The men's 4x100 relay is seeded 18th with Jacob Mitchell, Brandon Jelks and Marcus Williams rounding out the squad. 

The EIU men will have two entries in the 800m run with Sean Wigganseeded 29th and Jason Springer seeded 32nd. Both runners have posted sub-1:50 times in their last outings. Megan Gingerich will enter the 800m on the women's side seeded 13th. 

Senior Erin O'Grady was the final entry accepted for the women's steeplechase after she set the EIU school record in the event at the Louisville Twilight. O'Grady is seeded 48th. 

Three Panthers round out the travel party competing in field events.Ian Winston is seeded 16th in the men's high jump, Tyler Arnholt is seeded 44th in the men's discus and Jaimee Roy is seeded 41st in the women's long jump.