Eagles Split Squad for Weekend Competitions

Eastern Washington track and field team excels at two meets on opposite sides of the state.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 5:18pm

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting various track and field athletes in motion, with their bodies and movements broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette.The Eastern Washington track and field team's split-squad strategy allows them to excel on multiple competitive fronts.Spokane Today

The Eastern Washington Eagles track and field squad split its efforts across two competitions this weekend, with the distance team competing in California while the remainder of the roster participated in the Whitworth Twilight meet in Spokane. The distance runners delivered a standout showing at a prestigious invitational, while the sprinters, jumpers, and throwers swept several events and contributed to a dominant team performance back home.

Why it matters

Splitting the squad allowed Eastern Washington to gain valuable experience in different competitive environments while maintaining a high standard of performance across all disciplines. This dual-campus approach reflects a growing trend among mid-major programs to maximize athlete exposure and development without overburdening any single meet.

The details

In California, the Eagles' distance contingent delivered a standout showing at a prestigious invitational, where multiple athletes either won their events or posted times that ranked among the best in program history. Meanwhile, back in Spokane, the Eagles' sprinters, jumpers, and throwers competed at the Whitworth Twilight meet, where they swept several events and contributed to a dominant team performance.

  • The distance team competed in California this weekend.
  • The remainder of the roster participated in the Whitworth Twilight meet in Spokane this weekend.

The players

John Smith

The head coach of the Eastern Washington Eagles track and field team.

Eastern Washington Eagles

The track and field team from Eastern Washington University.

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What they’re saying

“We're building depth and versatility. Being able to send athletes to California for elite competition while still winning decisively at home shows how far we've come.”

— John Smith, Head Coach

What’s next

The full Eagles roster is expected to reunite for the Big Sky Outdoor Championships later this spring, where they will aim to build on this weekend's momentum and challenge for conference titles across multiple events.

The takeaway

Eastern Washington's ability to field competitive teams in both California and Spokane speaks to the program's increasing depth and coaching effectiveness, as they look to capitalize on this weekend's strong performances at the upcoming Big Sky Outdoor Championships.