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EIU Early Bird Meet
Lantz Indoor Fieldhouse
Friday, December 8
2 p.m. (Field) / 4 p.m. (Track)

Schedule (PDF) | Operational Sheet  |  Live Results 

ON-TAP: Eastern Illinois starts their 2023-24 indoor track season with the EIU Early Bird Meet inside Lantz Indoor Fieldhouse. The Panthers look to keep the Championship at home after the men claimed its 19th Ohio Valley Conference title last season. The women's team finished in fifth last season, with 71 points.

The following teams will compete in the EIU Early Bird Meet: Eastern Illinois and McKendree. 

RETURNING MEN'S ATHLETES: Ramsey Hunt returns for his senior season at Eastern Illinois after a successful 2022-23 indoor campaign. Hunt was a first-team All-OVC performer winning the long jump with a gold medal jump of 24'8.25".  Additionally, Hunt had four first place finishes in the long jump during the season at the OVC Championship, EIU Friday Night, EIU John Craft, and EIU Early Bird.

Senior Ricky Johnson also makes a return to the Panthers' indoor team after a strong junior season. Johnson had a pair of podium finishes as part of the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championship squad, he was also a second team All-OVC performer with a silver medal finish in the 200 meter dash with a time of 21.62. On top of that, Johnson was a bronze medalist in the 400 meter with a third place OVC Championship time of 48.71.

RETURNING WOMEN'S ATHLETES: Taylor Iverson returns for her senior season at Eastern Illinois after. She competed in seven meets during the indoor season, scoring points at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championship with a fifth place finish in the weight throw. Iverson posted a season best weight throw mark at the OVC Championship of 55'11, which ranked ninth on the EIU record book list. Additionally, she also competed in shot put at OVC meet with season best throw of 41'4.50".
 
Junior Hallee Thomas competed in seven meets during the indoor season, scoring points in both the 60 meter hurdles and pole vault at the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championships. She was fourth in the 60 hurdles with a season best time of 8.86. Thomas placed eighth in the pole vault and season best pole vault was clearing 11 '0.25" at the EIU Early Bird.
 
NEXT UP: The Panthers will take off for the holiday season and will return home for the annual John Craft Invite on Saturday, Jan. 13th at the Lantz Indoor Fieldhouse. Start times will be released on a later date.

HEAD COACH: James Gildon was hired as Director of Track & Field at Eastern Illinois in August of 2023. Gildon enters his first year at Eastern after becoming the fifth director of track & field in the school's Division I history. He joins EIU following a successful stint as the associate head coach at Bowling Green.