GENEVA, Ohio – Eastern Oregon University claimed two national championship titles on the final day of the 2014 NAIA Indoor National Championships. Hans Roelle won the 1,000 meter run and Damion Flores won the 5,000 meter run for the second and third national champion titles for EOU at the 2014 national championships.
The Mountaineers men’s track and field team finished in sixth place overall with 36 points. The sixth place finish is the best finish for any Men’s EOU team at the Indoor National Championships. The women’s team finished in 15th place with 18 points.
Eastern Oregon claimed its second national champion at the NAIA Indoor National Championships on Saturday as junior Hans Roelle won the 1,000 meter run. Roelle ran with the pack until the final 200 meters of the race, as he clocked his fastest 200 meter split of the race by running a time of 25.8 over the final 200, to win the race by over one second. The win earned him All-American honors as well.
Damion Flores claimed the second national title of the day and All-American honors for EOU as he won the title in the 5,000 meter run. Flores jumped out to an early lead and held the lead the entire race. He held off Dylan Reyes of St. Francis (Ill.) and Ethan Gallagher from Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) at the finish line to win the championship. Flores finished the race in a time of 14:37.53.
Harley McBride added her name to the list of Mountaineer All-Americans as she finished third in the high jump. On her third jump of 1.71 meters (5-7 ¼), McBride cleared it to break her own school record by a quarter of an inch and to finish in third place.
Earning All-American honors in the 3,000 meter run was Isaac Updike, who finished fourth. Updike held the lead going into the final lap of the race but could not hold on. He finished with a time of 8:23.70, which broke his previous school record by 4.49 seconds in the 3K.
The Women’s 4x400 meter relay team finished seventh place in the finals and broke their own previous school record, which they had sent in the preliminaries. The Mountaineers finished in a time of 3:51.40 earning All-American honors.
The Mountaineers sent 12 athletes to the 2014 Indoor National Championships and each athlete came home with All-American honors and three athletes won national championships.
EOUs 2014 Indoor National Champions
Talitha Fagen – Women’s Pole Vault
Hans Roelle – Men’s 1,000 Meter Run
Damion Flores – Men’s 5,000 Meter Run
EOUs 2014 All-Americans
Talitha Fagen – Women’s Pole Vault
Hans Roelle – Men’s 1,000 Meter Run
Damion Flores – Men’s 5,000 Meter Run
Isaac Updike – Men’s 3,000 Meter Run
Brian Wickham – Men’s Weight Throw
Travis Simpson – Men’s High Jump
Harley McBride – Women’s High Jump
Ryan Rosenau – Heptathlon
Megan Sullivan – Women’s 4x400 relay
Kadie Booth – Women’s 4x400 relay
Carlondra McGee-Woolbright – Women’s 4x400 relay
Irene Olivo – Women’s 4x400 relay