Fighting Leatherneck Track and Field Opens Indoor Campaign Friday

The track season begins at the Early Bird Opener on Friday, Dec. 9

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois track and field team opens the indoor campaign at the Early Bird Opener on Friday (Dec. 9) in Charleston, Illinois.

ABOUT THE MEET: Friday's opener is hosted by Eastern Illinois and takes place inside the Lantz Indoor Fieldhouse. Field events are slated to kick off at 2 p.m. followed by the running events at 4. In addition to the Panthers, the Leathernecks are slated to compete against Illinois State and Indiana State. For a meet schedule, click HERE.

TOP RETURNERS, WOMEN'S SIDE: After redshirting the 2015-16 season, Jasmine Brown returns for the Leathernecks. Brown won the triple jump title at the 2014 Indoor Summit League Championships as a sophomore and finished second in the long jump. Her personal best of 40-11 ¾ (12.49m) in the triple jump ranks second in program history indoors, while her best of 19-2 (5.84m) in the long jump ranks third.

Alyssa Johnson also returns for her senior season. Johnson owns the seventh-best 800-meter time indoors for the Leathernecks, 2:15.14, set at last year's Championships.

The women's team also returns Kaliyah Cobb, who owns top-ten marks in the 60-meter dash (7.83, 10th) and the 200 (25.70, 8th). Khalyia Lawson also represents a top-ten marks in the jumps, as she ranks ninth in program history with a 36-8 1/2 mark in the triple jump.

TOP RETURNERS, MEN'S SIDE: Senior Tyler Younkin owns two top-ten times in the Western Illinois record book. His mark of 7.09 in the 60-meter dash ranks 10th while his time of 22.06 in the 200 sits sixth. Also joining him in the 60-meter top-ten is Charles Morrow, who's best of 6.99 ranks fifth. In the 60-meter hurdles, Josh Thomas ranks eighth all-time with a mark of 8.42.

PRESEASON POLL: After finishing in seventh place with 11 points at the 2015 championships, the women's team was picked to finish sixth in a tie with Fort Wayne and ahead of IUPUI at the Championships this season. The men were also selected to finish sixth after placing sixth last year with 17 points.

UP AHEAD: The Early Bird Opener is the lone indoor meet of 2016 for the Leathernecks. Following the holiday break, Western resumes competition at the Hawkeye Challenge on Jan. 14, 2017.

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Players Mentioned

Jasmine Brown: JUMPS; Junior; Dekalb

Kaliyah Cobb: SPRINTS; Senior; Lincoln College

Alyssa Johnson: DISTANCE; Senior; Washington Community

Khalyia Lawson: JUMPS; Sophomore; Douglas Macarthur

Josh Thomas: HURDLES; Senior; Farmington

Tyler Younkin: SPRINTS; Senior; Bettendorf

Players Mentioned

Jasmine Brown
: Junior; Dekalb
: JUMPS

Kaliyah Cobb
: Senior; Lincoln College
: SPRINTS

Alyssa Johnson
: Senior; Washington Community
: DISTANCE

Khalyia Lawson
: Sophomore; Douglas Macarthur
: JUMPS

Josh Thomas
: Senior; Farmington
: HURDLES

Tyler Younkin
: Senior; Bettendorf
: SPRINTS