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For the third time in the last four years, the Eastern Illinois men's and women's track and field programs swept the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles. The EIU track teams have now accomplished the dual sweep in back-to-back school years.

The Panthers have won a combined 29 track and field championship titles since joining the OVC for the 1996-97 school year. The men's Indoor Championships crown this past year was the program's 12th.

The final weekend of February, the Panthers traveled to Nashville for the OVC Indoor Championships hosted by Tennessee State. Kandace Arnold and Megan Gingerich led the way as the EIU women made their day-one lead hold up. Meanwhile, the EIU men rallied from third place behind a bevy of strong showings in the sprint events.

The return of Zye Boey from injury helped lift the EIU men to the Outdoor Championships title the first weekend of May on the campus of Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn. Boey swept the 100 and 200 meters on his way to being named the Male Athlete of the Championships. The EIU women were led to their Outdoor Championships victory thanks to victories on the track from Caitlin Finnegan (400m hurdles), Chandra Golden (100m hurdles) and Shawna Smith (200 meters).

Arnold was named the Female Athlete of the Championships at both the Indoor and Outdoor meets thanks to a pair of victories in the shot put as well as winning the weight throw (Indoor) and discus (Outdoor). Gingerich won the 800 meters at both the Indoor and Outdoor Championships and also captured the high jump at TSU's Gentry Center.

Queenie Adeboyejo won the triple jump at both Championship meets. Darren Patterson took home the 200 meter title at the Indoor Championships and was victorious in 400 meters at the Outdoor Championships.

Patterson and Golden were honored as the OVC Indoor Track Male and Female Athletes of the Year, respectively, prior to the meet in Nashville. EIU Director of Track and Field Tom Akers was named the OVC Coach of the Year following both meets.

Headlined by Arnold eventually qualifying for the NCAA National Championships in the shot put, the Panthers were well represented in the national postseason meets. Gingerich (800 meters), Erin O'Grady (steeplechase) and Jaimee Roy (long jump) were also NCAA Regional qualifiers among the EIU women. The men were represented by Boey (100 meters) and Patterson (400 meters), who teamed with Brandon Jelks and Jacob Mitchell on the 4x100 relay team. Sean Wiggan and Jason Springer qualified in the 800 meters, while Ian Winston (high jump) and Tyler Arnholt (discus) represented EIU in the men's field events.