The Western Illinois University track and field team will compete in its final indoor meet of the season at the Iowa Open in Iowa City on February 20. The event serves as preparation for the upcoming Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Conference Meet scheduled for February 24.
The Iowa Open will begin with field events at 11:00 a.m., including weight throw, shot put, high jump, pole vault, long jump, and triple jump. Running events are set to start at 1:00 p.m., featuring races such as the 3,000 meters, hurdles, sprints, middle-distance runs, relays, and distance races throughout the afternoon.
Several schools are expected to participate alongside Western Illinois University. These include Central College, Drake University, Cornell College, Grinnell College, North Central Missouri College, Iowa State University, Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh, University of Northern Iowa, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, University of Wisconsin–Platteville and host school University of Iowa. Additional programs such as ACT Training and Hevel Track Club will also take part.
The Leathernecks’ participation in this meet is part of their regular schedule leading up to conference championships. The program operates from Macomb, Illinois and competes in both indoor and outdoor championships under the Ohio Valley Conference according to their official website: https://goleathernecks.com/sports/mens-track-and-field. The team has recently achieved new program records in pole vault and relay events during the 2023-24 season.
For those interested in following live results from the Iowa Open meet or learning more about Leatherneck Track & Field activities and achievements within collegiate athletics at Western Illinois University—including updates on social media platforms—more information can be found on their official athletics website https://goleathernecks.com/sports/mens-track-and-field.
After this competition concludes on February 20th in Iowa City, Western Illinois will next appear at the OVC Conference Meet on February 24.
