LA GRANDE, Ore. – The Eastern Oregon University Track and Field teams concluded a successful outdoor season by earning ten All-American honors and one national title at the 2014 NAIA Outdoor National Championships.
 
The Mountaineers track and field program got off to a fast start on March 22 when they hosted the EOU Team Challenge. Kadie Booth set the first school record for the outdoor season as she broke the 200 meter run record, which was set in 1989. EOU also had its first two individuals qualify for the outdoor championships, as Talitha Fagen qualified in pole vault and Brian Wickham qualified in the hammer throw.
 
The Mountaineers continued to qualify for nationals and break school records. For the second straight week Kadie Booth set the school record in the 200 meter dash as she ran a time of 25.20. Damion Flores qualified for the nationals in the 5,000 meter run as he claimed a time of 14:32.62. Lucas Updike hit the provisional standard in the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Willamette Invitational.
 
The successful track season continued on April 12 at the Albertson's WAR VII as EOU qualified three athletes for nationals and two hit the provisional mark. Also, at the meet EOU claimed five different individual event winters. The women's 4x400 meter relay team composed of Megan Sullivan, Irene Olivo, Carlondra McGee-Woolbright and Booth hit the NAIA "A" standard by running the second fastest time in school history. Also, qualifying for nationals was Damion Flores in the 1,500 meter run and Hans Roelle in the 800 meter run.
 
The Mountaineers continued to succeed on the season as at the Northwest Nazarene University Invitational, as three more Mountaineers hit NAIA "A" standard and three more hit the provisional mark. Irene Olivo hit the "A" standard in the 400 meter hurdles, Talissa Baldovino hit the auto in the 800 meter run and Brian Wickham increased his "A" standard in the hammer throw.
 
In the final meet of the regular season, the Mountaineers had four members of the team hit the auto qualifiers for the National Championships. After hitting the provisional mark twice during the year, Lucas Updike hit the auto standard in the 3,000 steeplechase. Brian Wickham continued to improve on his hammer throw distance and hit the also qualified for the National Championships in the discus. Hans Roelle and Damion Flores improved on their time in the 800 meter run and the 1,500 meter run.
 
The Mountaineers continued to qualify for the National Championships and take first place at the CCC Championships presented by U.S. Bank. Freshman Harley McBride hit the NAIA "A" standard in high jump as she cleared 1.68 meters (5-6). Kadie Booth also hit the "A" standard in the 400 meter dash. The women's 4x100 meter relay team broke the school record with a time of 47.37.
 
The school records continued to fall on day two of the CCC Championships as Kadie Booth set the school record in the 200 meter dash. Talitha Fagen broke the school record with 3.70 meters (12-1 ½) in the pole vault. Hans Roelle broke the school record in the 800 meter run and set the CCC Championships record with a time of 1:49.76, the fastest time in the NAIA.
 
Hans Roelle claimed the only Mountaineers national title at the 2014 NAIA Outdoor National Championship as he won the 800 meter run in a time of 1:50.35. Roelle ran near the front of the pack for the entire 800 meter race. With 300 meters to go, Roelle made his move and went from third to first place. Coming out of the final turn, Roelle and John Hester of Indiana Tech were neck and neck. Once Roelle took the lead, he held off Hester at the line by .03 seconds to win the 800 meter run. The win also earns him All-American honors.
 
Earning All-Americans honors at the outdoor national championships were Hans Roelle (800 meter run), Brian Wickham (hammer throw), Megan Sullivan (4x400 meter relay), Irene Olivo (4x400 meter relay), Carlondra McGee-Woolbright (4x400 meter relay), Kadie Booth (400 meter run and 4x400 meter relay), Lucas Updike (3,000 meter steeplechase), Harley McBride (High Jump) and Damion Flores (5,000 meter run).
 
Not only did the Mountaineers succeed on the track but also in the classroom. The Mountaineers had 12 student athletes earn U.S. Bank Academic All-CCC this season. Hans Roelle, Kadie Booth and Talitha Fagen have also earned Capital One Academic All-District.
 
EOU Outdoor Track & Field School Records Broken
Women's
200 Meters – Kadie Booth
400 Meters – Kadie Booth
4x100 Meter Relay – Megan Sullivan, Kendall Current, Carlondra McGee-Woolbright, Kadie Booth
4x400 Meter Relay – Megan Sullivan, Irene Olivo, Carlondra McGee-Woolbright, Kadie Booth
Pole Vault – Talitha Fagen
Men's
800 Meters – Hans Roelle
1,500 Meters – Damion Flores