LA GRANDE, Ore. – Eastern Oregon Track and field hosted their first event of the 2023-2024 season on Saturday. The second installment of the EOU Lew Thorne Invite was just as thrilling as the first with Eastern posting some incredible performances on their home turf. When all was said and done, eight facility records were broken at the EOU Field House, six of them falling to Mountaineer athletes. Eastern also tallied six “A” Standards and two “B” Standards.
One program record fell on the day thanks to TJ Davis who took sole possession of the 60-meter hurdles record after shaving a hundredth of a second off of his PR. Davis now stands alone at the top of the record book breaking the former tie with Matt Kirkendale who originally set the record in 2018.
The Mounties return to the road next weekend when they will compete at the 2024 Whitworth Invitational hosted by Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. The meet will take place at The Podium and will span two days starting Friday, February 9.
WOMEN:
In track events, Lauryn Mitchell took the lead for the Mounties with an exceptional performance in the 600 Meter Run. Mitchell not only secured a victory but also earned a “B” Standard at 1:38.16.
Turning to field events, Kenna Woodward continued her winning ways in the weight throw, adding another triumph to her resume. Woodward’s throw of 16.52 meters not only secured another victory but also earned Woodward another NAIA “A” Standard.
In the long jump, Elizabeth Grandle extended her mark as the fourth all-time best in program history by setting a new personal record with a jump of 5.34 meters. Grandle’s performance secured her a victory in the event.
MEN:
In track events, senior TJ Davis made headlines by setting a facility record for the EOU Field House and breaking the EOU program record in the 60 Meter Hurdles with an impressive time of 8.13 seconds. Davis’s performance, which surpassed a tie with Matt Kirkendale (8.14 seconds), also earned him an NAIA “A” Standard.
Osman Osman continued his stellar season, leaping to fourth all-time in the EOU record book in the 60 Meter Dash with a winning time of 7.01 seconds.
In the 1,000 Meter Run, Eastern Oregon had a strong showing, with Hunter Nichols leading the way with an NAIA “A” Standard time of 2:29.28. Jonathan Wind closely followed with a time of 2:30.18, which was also good for a “A” Standard.
Later in the day, Osman Osman added another qualifying time in the 600 Meter Run, winning the event with a time of 1:21.30. This time secured an NAIA “A” Standard and placed Osman at 6th all-time in the EOU record book for the event.
Eastern picked up another “B” Standard in the 3,000 Meter Run when junior, Justin Ash, finished with a time of 8:30.56 narrowly missing an “A” Standard.
Turning to field events, Tanner Nett recorded an impressive NAIA “A” Standard in the Shot Put with a throw of 16.25 meters, setting a facility record and winning the event by a substantial margin.
The spotlight then shifted to the high jump mat where Tyler Jones nearly set a school record. Jones cleared 2.10 meters, setting a facility record and earning an NAIA “A” Standard. Although just shy of the 2.16 meters that would have been an EOU record, Jones’s personal record moves him up to fourth all-time in program history, less than two inches away from the top mark set in 1994 by Thad Hathaway.
