Eddie Okeke, fourth year member on the men track and field team, is soaking in his last few experiences at the finish line.

The senior Business Administration major, marketing minor, is in his final year on the team. Okeke said it’s been hard to adjust to the fact that he will making his last runs this year.

“It is crazy to think about the first ‘last’ meets starting to come up. With my last Cross Country race around the corner, it is starting to make me reminisce on my time as an athlete not only here at Misericordia but also in high school and middle school when I first started running and seeing the love that has grown for it,” said Okeke.

Okeke has a lot of accomplishments to look back on. In 2015-2016, he accomplished personal records for the 400m and 800m races during outdoor season.

In 2016-2017, he finished in the top ten in the 800m race and 4×400 relay at the River Hawk Opener, sixth in the 4×800 relay at the MAC Indoor Championship, and placed fourth in the 4×800 at the MAC Outdoor Championships. He finished second in the 4×400 and eighth in the 800m race at the Misericordia Invitational in the 2017-2018 outdoor season. He also finished 10th in the 800m at the King’s College Monarch Open. In the indoor season, he Finished third in the 800m (2:10.89) and fourth in the 4×400 (3:47.28) at the River Hawk Opener.

“Being able to set new personal bests that were faster than I thought I was capable of has been a big testament to the strength of the program in building good runners,” Okeke said.

Okeke’s said he’s grateful for the long career he’s had. He said choosing Misericordia to foster his running abilities is a decision he will not regret.

“My experience has been really great,” Okeke added. “I get to run with great people every day who care a lot about the sport and know how to have fun day in and day out through all of the miles run together.”

Okeke has set some final goals for the little time he has remaining.

“This year I want to be a role model for the younger guys on the team. Whether it’s bringing a positive attitude and a smile to practice every day or finding new routes in Dallas, I want to make sure that it is a safe, uplifting, and supportive place for the whole team.”

He added that much more is possible if players work together.

“We have a lot of talent that can really develop if we are all focused in the same direction,” Okeke said.

Okeke and the rest of the men’s track and field team begin the indoor season Nov. 30 at Susquehanna University.