Jabez Reeves Honored as 2022 MEC Indoor Men's Track Athlete of the Year
Wheeling, W. Va. – The 2022 Mountain East Conference (MEC) Indoor Championships has wrapped up and the Wheeling Men's Track & Field team placed second in the nine-team field. However, one athlete earned individual honors for his work throughout the season and will now be preparing for the NCAA Nationals. Sophomore sprinter Jabez Reeves was named the MEC's Male Track Athlete of the Year for his work in the sprinting events.
After dealing with injuries last season that limited his running, Reeves worked his way back to full health and became Wheeling's top sprinter this season. Right out of the gate, he made an immediate impact, breaking the school record in the 60-Meter Dash at the YSU Ice Breaker with a time of 6.86 seconds. He would go on to break that record three more times during the season, with his fastest effort coming at the Ashland University Alumni Invitational, where he posted a time of 6.76 seconds, .10 seconds faster than his first meet. Reeves would go on to win the MEC's Men's Track & Field athlete of the week award twice throughout the season and tied the school record in the 200-Meter dash as well.
Heading into the MEC Indoor Championships, Reeves would compete both in the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash as he tried to prove he was the best in the conference. On day one, he ran both preliminary races, needing to finish with one of the top eight times to make the finals. Reeves would begin the day with the 60-Meter Dash and placed second in the field with a time of 6.85 seconds. It wasn't his fastest run of the season, but it was enough to get him into the final eight. He would then run in the Men's 200-Meter qualifier a few events later and once again made the finals. He once again finished second with a time of 21.73 seconds and would be representing the Cardinals in two different events.
As the finals came around, Reeves was looking to post his best times of the year. Once again, he would be running in the finals of the 60-Meter Dash first followed by the 200-Meter Dash a few events later. This time around, Reeves would run the race .04 seconds faster than his qualifier time and it was enough to earn him the MEC Indoor Championship crown. He ran the race in 6.81 seconds, beating West Virginia Wesleyan's Tanner Faulkiner by .01 seconds. It was his first individual MEC Championship and he was ready for more in the 200-Meter Dash. However, he was unable to bring home his second individual championship of the day but finished second with a time of 21.91 seconds.
Reeves is the first Wheeling Cardinal to ever win the award at the second-ever MEC Indoor Track & Field Championship. It was the culmination of a full season of hard work and dedication that took Reeves from the injured list to the top of his class. He had five first-place finishes in the 60-Meter Dash this season, and his fifth came on the biggest starve. He now has momentum on his side heading into the outdoor season as he tries to take his school-record 60-Meter Dash time and translate it to the 100-Meter Dash during outdoor season. He will once again lead Wheeling as the Men continue their west for the first MEC Championship in program history.
Wheeling's top athletes will be back in action for the NCAA Nationals, held in Pittsburg, Kansas, from March 11th through the 12th.