ECU Wire Services

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina track and field program looks to continue the success seen in the first two indoor meets of the season at the Tar Heel Open in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Pirates will go up against in-state rivals North Carolina, Duke, UNC Wilmington and Western Carolina in the two-day event that begins on Friday, January 24 and concludes on Saturday, January 25.

“This is a meet that we have been looking forward to since we put it on the schedule,” Head coach Curt Kraft said. “Both the men’s and women’s squads have talk a lot about how well they want to perform against our in-stat rivals. This is a five-way scored meet that will have bragging rights. However, it’s not only important that we do well against these teams, but also that we continue to improve each and every week to get ready for the Conference USA Indoor Championships in five weeks.”

The Pirates are coming off of a weekend in which they won five events at the Virginia Tech Invitational. In Blacksburg, Va., junior thrower Kayla Padgett set a new ECU school record as she registered a career-best mark of 21.55-meters (70-08.50) to claim first in the women’s weight throw.

With two meets under their belt thus far, the Pirates have set two school records this season, both in the women’s weight throw.

A year ago, East Carolina turned in a positive showing in Chapel Hill as the Pirates won four events. A trio Lady Pirates earned first-place finishes, while Henry Johnson and Aaron Zakula tied an ECU school record with identical marks of 4.90-meters (16-00.75) to tie for first in the pole vault.