Morehead, Ky. – Morehead State track and field coach Clay Dixon has begun the prepping stages for the Eagles to run at Ohio Valley Conference championship. He will use Friday and Saturday's Clark Wood Invitational at the University of Louisville's Owsley B. Frazier Cardinal Park as the next step in the process.

For some it will be about fine-tuning their races and others an opportunity to prove they belong among those racing from May 11-13 at the league meet.

"For the top guys (and gals), this is just kind of a 'keep your legs going and see if you can get extra (improvement) and good times' (meet)," Dixon said. "And a last chance for anyone else to see if they can make it (onto the OVC lineup) or prove themselves one last time. The (OVC) lineup will be dictated by if they are in the top 25 (on the OVC performances' list) and to see if they're going to be competitive (at the OVCs)."

The two-day competition will begin with the 800-meter run on Friday at 4:30 p.m. and conclude with Saturday action on the track that will start at 12:30 p.m. with the women's 100-meter hurdles. The meet will not be scored.

Live results can be followed through the link: https://live.dcracetiming.com/meets/15778.

The mostly-Division I field will include 17 teams. It will feature what most likely will be the deepest lineup the Eagles have faced thus far in the outdoor season. In addition to host Louisville, Akron, Bellarmine, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Central Michigan, DePaul, Eastern Illinois, eastern Kentucky, Eastern Michigan, Illinois State, Loyola (Ill.), Quincy (Ill.), Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky and Xavier (Ohio) will join MSU.

Morehead State was scheduled to compete in the meet in 2020, but it was canceled because of Covid-19. The last time the Eagles participated was in 2019. That competition featured former Eagle Justin Moakler winning the 1,500-meter run in 3:49.06. Since 2010, MSU has run at Louisville six times.

Dixon will enter 29 athletes in 12 races. Two groups will compete on Friday night—those in the 800m and 5,000-meter run. The 800m is the day's first event on the track, with the 5K the last meet of the night. The women's version will start at 6 p.m. with the men's contest at 6:45 p.m.

Saturday's MSU entrants will participate in the 100-meter dash (12:55 p.m.), 4x100-meter relay (1:55 p.m. start), the 1,500m (2:05 p.m.), the 400-meter dash (3 p.m.), the 3000-meter run (3:55 p.m.) and the 4x400-meter relay (4:10 p.m.). No one is scheduled to compete in more than one individual event.

Friday's lineup will include: sophomore Michael Dunagan, sophomore Wes Grogan and junior Cruz Ortiz-Ramirez in the 800m; sophomore Justin Bland, sophomore Justin Chavez, sophomore Peyton Fairchild, sophomore Kyler Stewart, freshman Megan Bush, sophomore Isabella Copher and sophomore Laikin Tarlton in the 5000m.

"For Michael, I want to basically go out there and single shot the 800 and see if does really well," Dixon said. "If he runs a top two or three time in the conference, we'll keep him there. If not, we'll have him also run the 1500m and the 4x4(00-meter relay). We want to spread our bullets out as much as possible. It's the same for Toby (Cook)."

On Saturday, freshman Grace Lopez will begin the day with her race in the 100m.

The 1,500m is the next individual race for the Eagles and it will include: the sophomore Cook, sophomore Liam Dale, sophomore Kyle Embry, freshman Cloe Copas, sophomore Hannah Hostetler, sophomore Riliegh Owens, freshman Jennifer Ramirez and freshman Lucy Singleton.

Back on the sprints, freshman Lilly Gray, freshman Sam Lucas and freshman Austin Montgomery will all compete in the 400.

Freshman Alex Murray, freshman Ethan Vance and sophomore Jacob Vogelpohl will represent the team in the 3,000m.

Dixon is looking for his 4x100-meter relay team to honing its exchanges and the 4x400-meter relays to slice off some time.

"The 4x4 team, we are putting our 'A' team out there," Dixon said.

The women's short relay will include one change – moving freshman Keana Meriwether into the first leg. She will be joined be juniors Dallas Jones and Sierra Kelley, with Lopez or junior Tayla Lee in the other spot.

"We want to brush up on the 4x1. We've had a couple of practices this week where we were able to work on our exchanges," Dixon said.

Virtually the same foursome will make up the women's 4x4, with Jones, Kelley and Meriwether joined in the lineup by Singleton.

"I think the (women's) 4x4 is capable of (running) a 4:05. They won't do that this week, but a season best, maybe a sub-4:10 is possible," Dixon said. "Right now, a 4:14 is eighth in the conference, but a 4:07-4:05 I think is what it will be. The closer we can get to that the better."

The men's 4x400m relay will be a combination of Dunagan, Cook, Grogan, Montgomery, Lucas, Cruz, Dale or sophomore Jarrett Forrest.

"We're testing out a few last-minute things, but we want to look at the (OVC) rankings and see where we are. … Look at how the next few races go and that's how we will determine where we will go," Dixon said. "We're trying to keep their legs going and get two consecutive weeks of good racing, and avoid going on cruise control.

"For some people, this is their last chance to go out and show they're worthy of going to OVCs," he concluded.

The team's final tune-up for the OVCs will be a mid-week excursion to Lynchburg, Va., for the Liberty Twilight Qualifier. Dixon only plans to send a few athletes to the Wednesday meet. The league championship will be May 11-13 in Murray, Ky.