WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue track & field team has a pair of meets on the schedule this weekend, with the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Florida, from March 31 – April 2 and the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational in Cincinnati on April 2.
The Florida Relays begin with the men's hammer throw on Thursday, March 31, at 5 p.m. ET. On Friday, April 1, Purdue's first field event is at 2:30 p.m. and the team's opening running event is set for 5:50 p.m. The squad's final event on Friday at James G. Pressly Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. The meet concludes on Saturday, April 2, with the Boilermakers' first field and running events scheduled to commence at noon. The meet's final event begins at 6:10 p.m.
At Cincinnati's Gettler Stadium on Saturday, field events are set for 11 a.m. ET and running events commence at 1:50 for the Old Gold and Black. The day's last event is at 5:45 p.m.
Fans can follow along from Florida with live results and the meet schedule, while the SEC Network+ will have a live stream on Friday (beginning at 5 p.m.) and Saturday (beginning at 1:30 p.m.). Fans can track live results and follow the meet schedule from Cincinnati. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Additional information, including direct links to follow along, are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
Twenty-four Boilermakers, 12 men and 22 women, will compete in Gainesville, while 27 student-athletes, 14 men and 13 women, are set to compete in Cincinnati.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Eight Boilermakers appear in the first national TFRI top-25 rankings, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Sophomore Safin Wills is No. 8 in the triple jump, fifth-year senior Curt Eckstein is No. 13 in the 10,000m, senior Kelly Cook Jr. is No. 14 in the hammer throw, sophomore Kerris Roberts is No. 16 in the 200m, senior Antonio Mitchell is No. 19 in the 100m, freshman Rieko Wilford is No. 20 in the triple jump and both the men's and women's 4x100 relay squads are No. 22 nationally.
LAST TIME OUT: TOP-10 TIME IN RALEIGH
Eckstein ran the second-fastest 10,000-meter time in Purdue history to lead the Boilermakers at the Raleigh Relay in Raleigh, North Carolina, last weekend. Eckstein's top-10 time was one of three personal-best marks, and two more ran in their first collegiate outdoor meet as nine Boilermakers raced from March 25-26.
A time of 28:54.93 by Eckstein moves him up to No. 2 in the record books as he finished 17th overall in the 10,000m. His time was the fastest since 2015 and just behind Matt McClintock's record of 28:54.77.
A complete recap from day one and day two, including full results, can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
NEXT UP: ONE MORE SPLIT WEEKEND
Purdue travels to two meets next weekend from April 8-9. The Boilermakers head to the Texas A&M Team Invitational in College Station, Texas, and the Illini Classic in Champagne, Illinois. The two meets marks the final split weekend of the season for the Boilermakers.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The Florida Relays begin with the men's hammer throw on Thursday, March 31, at 5 p.m. ET. On Friday, April 1, Purdue's first field event is at 2:30 p.m. and the team's opening running event is set for 5:50 p.m. The squad's final event on Friday at James G. Pressly Stadium is set for 7:30 p.m. The meet concludes on Saturday, April 2, with the Boilermakers' first field and running events scheduled to commence at noon. The meet's final event begins at 6:10 p.m.
At Cincinnati's Gettler Stadium on Saturday, field events are set for 11 a.m. ET and running events commence at 1:50 for the Old Gold and Black. The day's last event is at 5:45 p.m.
Fans can follow along from Florida with live results and the meet schedule, while the SEC Network+ will have a live stream on Friday (beginning at 5 p.m.) and Saturday (beginning at 1:30 p.m.). Fans can track live results and follow the meet schedule from Cincinnati. Updates also can be found by following and connecting with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Additional information, including direct links to follow along, are available on the schedule page at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
Twenty-four Boilermakers, 12 men and 22 women, will compete in Gainesville, while 27 student-athletes, 14 men and 13 women, are set to compete in Cincinnati.
IN THE NATIONAL RANKINGS
Eight Boilermakers appear in the first national TFRI top-25 rankings, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). Sophomore Safin Wills is No. 8 in the triple jump, fifth-year senior Curt Eckstein is No. 13 in the 10,000m, senior Kelly Cook Jr. is No. 14 in the hammer throw, sophomore Kerris Roberts is No. 16 in the 200m, senior Antonio Mitchell is No. 19 in the 100m, freshman Rieko Wilford is No. 20 in the triple jump and both the men's and women's 4x100 relay squads are No. 22 nationally.
LAST TIME OUT: TOP-10 TIME IN RALEIGH
Eckstein ran the second-fastest 10,000-meter time in Purdue history to lead the Boilermakers at the Raleigh Relay in Raleigh, North Carolina, last weekend. Eckstein's top-10 time was one of three personal-best marks, and two more ran in their first collegiate outdoor meet as nine Boilermakers raced from March 25-26.
A time of 28:54.93 by Eckstein moves him up to No. 2 in the record books as he finished 17th overall in the 10,000m. His time was the fastest since 2015 and just behind Matt McClintock's record of 28:54.77.
A complete recap from day one and day two, including full results, can be found at PurdueSports.com/TrackField.
NEXT UP: ONE MORE SPLIT WEEKEND
Purdue travels to two meets next weekend from April 8-9. The Boilermakers head to the Texas A&M Team Invitational in College Station, Texas, and the Illini Classic in Champagne, Illinois. The two meets marks the final split weekend of the season for the Boilermakers.
For more on the Purdue track & field and cross country program, visit PurdueSports.com/TrackField and follow and connect with the Boilermakers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.