The University of Southern Indiana track and field team opened its 2002 outdoor schedule this afternoon at the Gerald England Track and Field Invitational in Indianapolis, Indiana. The men's squad finished eighth in the out 18 teams and the women's squad finished ninth out of 15 teams.

Women's junior distance runner Jenny Farmer (Princeton, Indiana) won the 3,000-meter run with a time of 10:32.08 while men's distance runner Joey Byrne (Georgetown, Indiana) won the 5,000-meter run by posting a time of 15:13.35. Byrne also finished second in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:34.79.

Other top performers from the men's squad included sophomore distance runner Doug Schwartz (Centralia, Illinois), junior distance runner Mark Thurner (Hebron, Indiana), and senior distance runner Jeff Rumsey (Rising Sun, Indiana). Schwartz finished third in the 1,500 meters (4:02.55) and fifth in the 5,000 (15:21.00) while Thurner and Rumsey finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Freshman distance runner Casey Schneider (New Salisbury, Indiana) finished second in the women's 5,000 meters after posting a time of 18:36.69.

The Eagles, who were originally scheduled to compete in the Raleigh Relays this weekend, will travel to St. Louis, Missouri, Saturday, April 6 to compete in the Washington University Invitational.