ECU men's track team fourth in GAC poll
Mar. 16—On Thursday, the East Central University men's track and field team was announced by the league as the fourth-ranked team in the 2024 Great American Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Harding will enter as the unanimous favorite with 36 points and all five available first-place votes.
This marks the second consecutive season that the Tigers have held the fourth position following their fourth-place finish in the 2023 GAC Track & Field Championships.
Last season, the Tigers dominated in the distance events, clinching two individual titles. Amos Pkiach secured the victory in the 10,000 meters, becoming a two-time defending GAC champion in the event, while Aspel Kiprob claimed the top spot in the 5,000 meters in his debut season with ECU.
The men's team also saw impressive performances from Oliver Kiptoo, Michael Iyali, and Miles Davis. Kiptoo placed second in the 10,000 meters and 3,000 meter steeplechase, and third in the 5,000 meter run while Iyali finished third in the 3,000 meters and Davis earned third place in the long jump with a leap of 6.86m.
To strengthen their roster for the 2024 season, the Tigers welcome nine freshmen and five transfer athletes.
The ECU men's track and field team will kick start their season on Saturday, March 23, at Cowley County Community College for the Mark A. Phillips Tiger Open.
WOMEN
The East Central University women's track and field team was selected to finish ninth in the GAC preseason poll.
The Tigers collected 23 points in the poll while Oklahoma Baptist topped the list for the GAC women's teams with 80 points and eight first-place votes. Harding received the other two first-place votes for a total of 74 points.
ECU will see nine athletes from last season's squad return to the lineup alongside the addition of eight new faces to the roster, including seven freshmen and one transfer student.
Abigael Kemboi highlights the returners after coming off of a second-place finish in the 1500-Meter and a fifth-place finish in the 800-Meter run at the 2023 GAC Track & Field Championships. Kaylyn Cotner also had a top-5 finish in the high jump at 1.55m to claim fifth place.
The ECU women's track & field team will kick off the 2024 outdoor season on Saturday, March 23, at Cowley County Community College for the Mark A. Phillips Tiger Open.
