The Eastern men’s and women’s track teams are hosting an event at Lantz Fieldhouse that will feature over 300 athletes.

The Division I teams that will be competing this Friday will be Indiana State, Southern Illinois-Carbondale and Murray State, who will have only one runner. A couple lower division schools will also be competing.

Team standings will be kept on Friday and it will begin at 2 p.m. with the women’s weight throw and the track events will start at 3 p.m. with the women’s 5000- meter run.

Coach Tom Akers said that some runners aren’t competing in preparation for next weeks conference meet. Some of the top runners will still be competing in order to work out some kinks, and because they feel well.

Eastern can only have 30 athletes total for the conference meet next weekend, so some athletes will be trying to make a statement.

Akers would like the teams to get better in the field and to work on their technique.

He also said he would like the sprinters and hurdlers to keep working on their starts.

A couple events that Akers said to look out for were the 60-meter dash and the 60- meter hurdles, pointing out that Indiana State had a strong crew. He also said the women’s weight throw would feature some strong throwers.

Eastern posted 14 first place finishes at the Friday Night Special last year. Junior Angelica Anyaogu won both the 60- meter dash and the long jump.

Dhiaa Dean won the 400 last year and set a top five school record, which she has already shattered this season.

Red-shirt junior Norvel Mohammed is coming off a week where he won Ohio Valley Conference Co-Male Track Athlete of the Week honors from a strong performance at the Grand Valley State Big Meet.

He had a first place time of 21.23 seconds in the 200, which ranks him first in the conference indoor season.

Sophomore Jonathon Boey is also coming off a strong performance last week in the 60-meter run. His time of 6.80 seconds gave him the second best time in the conference.

Dean for the women is at second in conference also but in the 400 with her time of 55.28 seconds.

Senior Ephraim Dorsey, who won the OVC Male Track Athlete of the Week two weeks ago, is ranked first in the conference with his 800 time of 1:49.

This is the last regular meet for both teams before the Ohio Valley Conference Meet, which will also be held in Lantz Fieldhouse next weekend.

Mark Shanahan can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].