The UTM indoor women's track team Martin placed eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championship held this past weekend at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston.

"Eighth is one step up from last year, but we still have room for improvement," said Jason McKinney, UT Martin's head track coach.

"The most positive factors are the increase in events in outdoor track which should be in our favor."

Eastern Illinois claimed its third straight men's indoor championship, while Tennessee State's women won their second consecutive title.

EIU had 197 points followed by Eastern Kentucky with 122 points, Southeast Missouri with 114, Tennessee State with 113, Murray State with 48 points and Morehead State with 16 points.

TSU's women led a close field with 139.5 points. Southeast Missouri was second with 136 points. Eastern Kentucky was third with 130 points.

Tennessee-Martin finished with 13 points.

Some of the Tennessee-Martin highlights included Shalaine Phaup's fourth-place finish in the 5000.

Phaup turned in a time of 18:25.42, a 15 seconds quicker than her personal best and a new school record. Phaup came back Saturday to finish sixth in the 3000 with a time of 10:34.01, a 13-second personal record, as well as a new school record.

The distance medley relay team of Angelina Gracian, Candice Lampkin, Jeanette Halfacre and Michelle McCormack placed sixth with a time of 13:25.82.

The 4 x 400 team of Latoshua Johns, Gracian, Lampkin and Halfacre finished seventh with a time of 4:11.78. The Skyhawks had two men competing as individuals in the meet.

Philip Rhodes placed eighth in the mile with a time of 4:37.49, while Darrell Lewis set a school record in the 800 with a time of 2:00.02.

The Skyhawk women prepped for the OVC Indoor Championship with a fourth-place finish in the recent Southeast Missouri State indoor meet, competing against three teams.

Katie Mirgliotta set a new school record in the weight throw with a toss of 48-1, while Darrell Lewis set a school record in the 1000 with a time of 2:41.6.

Phaup ran a personal best of 10:46 in the 3000, which was two seconds off the school record.

Latoshua Johns and LaMesha Ingram both ran season bests in the 55 hurdles, running times of 9.48 and 10.05 respectively. "Our outdoor season looks promising," McKinney said. "I hope our team continues to improve."

The Skyhawk track team will return to action March 21-23 in the Alabama Relays in Tuscalossa, Alabama.