Editor’s note: Top Cat is a weekly series taking an in-depth look at Eastern’s top athlete from the previous week. Winners are selected just once. Selections are made by The Daily Eastern News sports staff.

Senior sprinter Jarrod Macklin wasn’t happy with his performances in last weekend’s Big Blue Classic.

Yet, Macklin was the only runner to clock in under 22 seconds in the 200 meter dash. He took second in the 400m with a time of 48.29 seconds and was also part of the 4x100m relay team that finished in first place.

What is there to be unhappy about?

Macklin said he is still nowhere near where he wants to be with his times. He said the cold weather kept him from reaching his potential.

“Basically me running the times that I did in that cold lets me know that I could have ran faster,” Macklin said. “I didn’t really want to run because it tightens up my muscles.”

Macklin says he has a little method to running such fast times.

“In the 200 I usually get in my mind that something is chasing me; something like a pit bull,” Macklin said.

Though Macklin had to sit out the indoor season because he would have run out of eligibility time, head coach Tom Akers said his sprinter still provided a lot of leadership.

“The example he sets with his work ethic and his competitiveness is probably as good as we have had come through the program,” Akers said.

Akers said he was surprised by how easily the Panthers won the 2003 Indoor Championship without Macklin, who was named the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Athlete of the Year in 2002 and earned Athlete of the Year honors at the 2001 Outdoor championship.

With Macklin back on track, Akers says the team is even more dangerous. The Panthers have shown it thus far winning both outdoor meets they have competed in.

A multi-sport athlete at Peoria Manuel High School, Macklin had a tough decision to make for what he wanted to do in college.

Macklin entertained offers to play football at a few smaller Division II schools and a few offers from larger schools to run track. When it all came down to it, Macklin had his son in the back of his mind.

“I could have went to a couple of Big Ten schools, but they were only offering me one year paid for,” Macklin said. “I have a son back in Peoria to think about and Eastern told me I had four years regardless of injury.”

Macklin was happy that both his mother and his six-year-old son were able to make it to the meet last weekend.

“He loves to watch me run,” Macklin said. “He says he is going to run when he is older. It makes me feel good, and makes me want to be a good role model.”

With nearly two months left in the outdoor season Macklin has his eyes set on qualifying for the regionals in both the 200 and 400.

Akers has faith in his senior, but will be sad to see him go after the season ends.

“On the downside, he graduates at the end of the year,” Akers said. “You don’t generally replace someone like that.”