HERMISTON, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University track and field team had two individuals qualify for the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field meet, two provisional marks were hit and one school record was broke during the first Outdoor meet of the season.
Talitha Fagen was the first Mountaineer to qualify for Outdoor Nationals. The 2014 NAIA Indoor National Champion hit the NAIA “A” standard and claimed the victory in the women’s pole vault. Fagen vaulted 3.60 meters to take first place.
The only other Mountaineer to hit the NAIA “A” mark was Brian Wickham. Wickham, who won the hammer throw, recorded a distance of 53.50 meter, which is .50 meters farther than the “A” standard. Wickham beat out teammate Jason Hendricks for the top spot in the Hammer throw.
Hitting the NAIA “B” standard were Lucas Updike in the 3,000 meter steeplechase, and the women’s 4x100 meter relay team. Updike finished second in the steeplechase with a time of 9:28.32, which hit the “B” standard by .68 of a second.
The Women’s 4x100 meter relay team composed of Kendall Current, Megan Sullivan, Carlondra McGree-Woolbright and Kadie Booth, claimed a time of 48.23, which won the race. The time hit the NAIA “B” standard.
Along with competing in the 4x100 meter relay team, Kadie Booth also ran in the 200 meter run. Booth collected the top time out of anyone at the meet as she clocked a time of 25.30. The time broke an EOU school record which was set in 1989.
Along with these marks, Eastern Oregon had 13 different women's athletes qualify for the Cascade Collegiate Conference Outdoor Championships in 11 different events. Six of the 13 women qualified for two or more events. On the men’s side, 16 athletes hit the CCC Championship qualifying marks in 13 different events, with eight athletes qualifying for two or more events.
Eastern Oregon track and field returns to action next weekend when they travel to Salem, Ore. to participate in the Willamette Invitational on March 29.