West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois track and field teams participated in the Meet of Champions at Augustana College in Rock Island. The event took place last Friday, showcasing notable performances from several athletes.

Lucas Burmeister stood out on the track with a victory in the 100-meter dash, while Arnie Grunert achieved the fourth-best mark in school history in the pole vault. Coach Trey Brokaw commented on their performances, stating, "We had a few great performances this weekend. Arnie Grunert is starting to come into form in the pole vault and his training partner, Emma Ponx, had some really good attempts over 12 feet. Mid-year transfer, Lucas Burmeister, had an impressive double in the 100 and 200 meters. Only a freshman, Lucas is emerging as one of the top short sprinters in the conference."

Other team members also delivered strong performances. Toriano Tate began his outdoor season with near personal bests in both long and triple jumps. Alexis Ellison excelled in the long jump and set a personal record in the 200 meters while leading off their 4 x 100 meter relay. Faith Procopio achieved a significant personal best in the 5,000 meters, and freshman Robert Perry made an impressive debut in the 10,000 meter run.

With only two weekends remaining before The Summit League Conference Championships, Western Illinois athletes are optimistic about future competitions. They anticipate favorable weather conditions for upcoming events such as the Drake Relays weekend.

Coach Brokaw expressed confidence in his team's potential: "We've been training at a very high level for many weeks now. When we catch a good weather day, I won't be surprised to see an explosion of great performances from the team." He highlighted hurdlers Aliyah Adams and Zach Taylor as being on the verge of outstanding achievements alongside other team members.

The Leathernecks will compete next at the Drake Relays and Kip Janvrin Invite from April 27-29, 2023.