West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois men's and women's track and field teams are set to compete in the Ohio Valley Indoor Conference Track and Field Meet this week. The event takes place on Wednesday and Thursday at the Birmingham Crossplex in Birmingham, Alabama.

Competition begins Wednesday morning with the heptathlon at 9 a.m., followed by field events at 11:30 a.m. and running events starting at 2:40 p.m. On Thursday, the pentathlon kicks off the day at 9 a.m., with field events continuing at 11 a.m. and running events resuming at 12:30 p.m.

This year marks the fifth time the OVC Indoor Championship will be held at this venue, which has previously hosted NCAA Championships due to its world-class facilities. The event is significant as it represents the 44th men's indoor championship since its inception in 1976, and the 38th women's indoor championship since it began in 1985.

In last year's championship, Eastern Illinois men won their 19th title while Southeast Missouri women claimed their eighth title, marking their first win since 2013.

Several athletes from Western Illinois are currently ranked among the top five performers in various categories within the league. These include Renee Raglin in women's 60m (5th), Jaiden Young in men's 400m (4th), Isaac Jones in men's 800m (5th), Maleigha Huston in both women's 800m (2nd) and mile (2nd), Logan Lommel in both men's mile (2nd) and 3000m (2nd), Aliyah Adams leading women's 60m hurdles and long jump, among others.

Following this meet, qualifying athletes will have an opportunity to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships scheduled for March 8-9 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Leathernecks' outdoor season is set to begin on March 29 at Washington University in St. Louis.