Oregon Tech s renovated track and field establishes Klamath Falls as destination for university competitions oit.edu - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from oit.edu Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Track & Field student-athletes gather to bid farewell to current track; head to nationals Klamath Falls
May 27, 2021
With a ceremonial toss of soil, student-athletes at Oregon Tech welcomed the start of construction on the track and field that they had been training on some since they were in high school in Klamath Falls.
In March, the University announced the Bringing Home the Gold campaign to revitalize the facility to conference standards. The campaign launched with a $100,000 matching opportunity that was met with community support within the first month. The project also gained the endorsement of Olympic gold medalists in track and field, Ashton Eaton and Dan O’Brien.
Doane (Neb.) actually strengthened its hold at the top of the National TFRI. The Tigers are clearly a favorite for the title on that basis, let alone having the most entries in the meet – 24 in individual events plus a pair of relays.
Field events are where Doane is slated to make the most noise, with leaders in the both high jump with Jacob Heitkamp and the decathlon with Levi Sudbeck, who won the heptathlon in the NAIA Indoor meet in March. Four other field-eventers are among the top-4 ranked athletes in the meet.
Doane has never won this meet, but finished as runner-up in 2011.
Many of these honored athletes and coaches are headed to the
2021 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships next week in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Men’s Track Athlete of the Year
GREAT LAKES REGION – Tony Floyd – Madonna (Mich.)
Floyd, a senior from Westland, Michigan, is ranked first nationally in the 5000 at 14:24.32 and second nationally in the 10,000 at 30:06.89. He completed the distance sweep at the WHAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, winning the 5000 and 10,000.
MIDWEST REGION – Matthew Van Eps – Dordt (Iowa)
Van Eps, a senior from Prinsburg, Minnesota, is ranked second nationally in the 800 at 1:49.59 and is undefeated in that event, including a victory at the Drake Relays. He completed the 800-1500 sweep at the GPAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships and has 15 total first-place finishes this season.