Cross country and indoor track athlete
Dustin Hatfield has been named the Ohio Valley Conference Male Track Athlete of the Week after his performance in the Indiana Gladstein Invitational last weekend at Indiana University.
Hatfield finished first out of nine athletes in the men's 3000 meter run. His time of 8:09.84 was the third fastest time in school history. Previously, Hatfield's career best was 8:12.28 which was fifth all-time at Eastern Illinois. Jason Bialka (8:08.38) and Pablo Ramirez (8:09.41) are the only two runners in EIU history with better times.
Earlier this year, Hatfield finished 77th at the NCAA National Championships for cross country. He became the second highest EIU finisher at the National Championships in school history. Hatfield was also named the Ohio Valley Conference Runner of the Year.
He posted a 10K time of 29:59.9 at the Apalachee State Park course with the meet hosted by Florida State University. Hatfield was the third EIU runner in the Panthers Division I era to qualify for the NCAA National Championships joining Jason Bailka (2000 & 2001) and Todd Moroney (1997). Â
Hatfield earned All-Midwest Region honors with his finish at the NCAA Midwest Regional on Nov. 12, his second career All-Region honor.Â
