The EWU track team will compete in the Big Sky Indoor Championships this Thursday, Feb. 22 in Flagstaff, Ariz. Fifty-two Eagles are in events with 26 athletes from both the men’s and women’s teams.

“We are looking forward to the Indoor Conference Championships at NAU,” EWU women’s head coach Marcia Mecklenburg said. “It is one of the most exciting meets of the year given that all the events areas compete in a fairly confined space. It gets loud and it gets crazy.”

Mecklenburg said the sprints will be the event to watch for the women. “[The sprinters] have been putting on a show all season and will now have the opportunity to go head to head with all the Big Sky Schools,” said Mecklenburg.

Senior Rebecca Tarbert and freshman Alexis Rolan are the top sprinters for EWU headed into the meet, with Tarbert leading the Big Sky in the 60 meters at a time of 7.57 seconds, and Rolan No. 3 in the Big Sky for the 200 meters at a time of 25.59 seconds. Tarbert earned third place in the 60 meters at the BSC championships last season and first place in 2016.

“It started out kind of slow at the beginning of the season, but two weekends ago when we went to UW I broke into speed,” Tarbert told The Easterner. “I’m really excited for this next weekend because I think I’m going to continue to do better.”

Tarbert said she is aiming for a personal-best in the event.

“I would really like to PR in my 60,” said Tarbert. “My PR is a 7.47 and I haven’t gotten that since sophomore year so my goal is to PR.”

For the men’s team, multiple athletes go into the Big Sky Championships as the top seed: sophomore Keshun McGee in the triple jump at 51-4 1/2 feet, junior Larry Still in the pole vault at 16-8 3/4 feet, and the distance medley relay team at a time of 10:10.10.

“The athletes who will be competing in this week’s indoor championships are in distinguished company,” EWU men’s head coach Stan Kerr said. “The best athletes the conference has to offer will be going head-to-head to determine individual and team champions.”

Senior Logan Stahl, sophomore Trey McAdams, freshman Brock O’Neal and freshman Isaac Barville make up the men’s distance medley relay team, which posted its Big Sky leading time at the UW Invitational last month.

“I think this is going to be one of our more competitive years,” freshman Isaac Barville told The Easterner. “I’m excited for it. Our goal would be podium for the team (this weekend).”

The distance medley team currently leads second place Montana State by just under five seconds.

“From doing the first DMR, we realized we do have potential to get there and score some points in the conference,” said freshman Brock O’Neal.

A live stream of the event will be available on Pluto TV and will begin at 11 a.m.