West Central Reporter

The Western Illinois University men's and women's track and field teams are set to compete at the Iowa State Alumni Open this Friday. This event marks their final competition before the Ohio Valley Conference Meet scheduled for May 9-11 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

Field events at the Iowa State Alumni Open will begin at 3 p.m., followed by track events starting at 5 p.m. The meet serves as a crucial preparation for the Leathernecks ahead of their postseason engagements.

Last week, the team participated in the Drake Relays, where several athletes delivered notable performances. Aliyah Adams excelled in the women's championship triple jump with a third-place finish and achieved a personal best in the college/university long jump, securing second place. Toriano Tate also made headlines by setting a personal record in the men's long jump, earning him a second-place finish.

In relay events, both men's and women's teams set new program records. The women's sprint medley relay team clocked a time of 3:58.38, while the men's team finished with a time of 3:23.51. Additionally, both distance medley relay teams delivered strong performances.

Looking ahead to the Ohio Valley Conference Meet, several Leathernecks hold top rankings within the league. Maleigha Huston leads in the women's 800 meters and holds second place in the 1500 meters. In field events, Arnie Grunert tops the men's pole vault rankings while Emma Ponx and Paulina Lucer follow closely behind.

Western Illinois is also eyeing qualification for the NCAA West Regional scheduled for May 22-25 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Several athletes are positioned within striking distance of securing spots for this regional competition.