Track & Field

Bradley, Tech track and field fare well at Southern Illinois

Senior Leah Bradley led the Golden Eagle track team at the Southern Illinois University Invitational with two new career records.

Bradley improved on her record, set last week at the Niswonger Invitational, in the 800-meter race with a time of 2 minutes, 25.69 seconds. She also set a personal best in the mile, finishing with a time of 5:25.

Golden Eagle runners Kara Webb, Traci Jones and Rebecca Cline all joined Bradley in finishing in the top half of the mile runners. Webb and Cline beat their previous records in the mile with improved times.

“I believe our team is doing well for how early in the season it is,” Jones said. “We have a young team and everyone is pushing hard to do their best at conference. I’m looking forward to seeing how things play out for us as individuals and a team at the indoor conference.”

Tech’s Emily Weinzetl, Jenna Philpott and Webb all finished in the top half of runners in the 800-meter race. Webb and Weinzetl both set personal best times, along with Elizabeth Mitchell and Kathryn Forbes.

“This is the first time I have done indoor, so it’s different for me,” Webb said. “I am working hard to get faster every time I hit the track.”

Golden Eagle Lacy Yslas competed in the shot put, throwing for a distance of 37 feet, 1 inch. This beat her performance last week and set a career best for her in the field event.

Emily Williams (11:35.47), Brittany Brown (11:43.92) and Meghan O’Donoghue (11:46.35) all scored personal best records in the 3,000-meter run.

The SUI Invitational was the last chance for the runners to compete before the Ohio Valley Conference Track & Field Championship, scheduled for Feb. 24-25 at Tennessee State University in Nashville.