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Lucas Hofer
Rachael Keating

Leatherneck Men's 800 Ranked Top 15 by USTFCCCA

The men's 800-meter squad sits 15th in the NCAA.

MACOMB, Ill. - The Western Illinois men's track and field team lays claim to three of the fastest 800-meter runners in the Summit League, and the speed of Ackeen Colley, Richard Brown, and Lucas Hofer has now put the program on the map nationally. 

Joining the likes of Oregon, Texas Tech, and Ole Miss, Western Illinois currently ranks 15th in the NCAA in the men's 800-meter, the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) released Monday (Feb. 15).  

The Leathernecks are averaging a time of 7:32.85. 

"I'm really proud of what those guys have been able to do," said assistant coach Brandon Hazouri. "We've known all year they were going to surprise some people, and it's awesome to see them get some national recognition. As always, you're only as good as your next race, and they have to be able to put their heads back down and continue to do the work that got us this far. We've got our eyes set on these last two meets and having some team success at the conference championships."

The trio made history at the Grand Valley State Big Meet - Saturday (Feb. 12), where Colley and Brown took down a 28-year school record. Back in 1993, Tony Taylor set Western's indoor 800-meter time at 1:49.28, and the duo clocked in at 1:49.09 and 1:49.10, respectively; individually, they sit 19th and 21st in the event on the NCAA Division I indoor qualifying list. 

Hofer also set a PR in the 800-meter to jump to sixth all-time on WIU's record list (1:52.52). 

Western is off to Eastern Illinois this Friday for its final meet before the Summit League Championships (Feb. 27-28). 
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