LA GRANDE — Two former local high school athletes are excelling as members of the men’s track and field squad at Eastern Oregon University.

Senior Justin Ash of Baker City, a Powder Valley High School graduate, set an EOU record in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 14.35.65 at the 2025 NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships on Saturday, March 1, in Gainesville, Florida.

Ash broke the record of 14.36.00 set by DJ Flores in 2014.

Ash placed ninth in the event at Gainesville.

He also placed 10th in the 3,000-meter event in 8:29.29.

Ash was also a standout cross-country runner for the Mountaineers, finishing ninth in the NAIA championships on Nov. 22, 2024, to earn All-American honors for the second straight year.

Ash finished second in the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships on Nov. 8, 2024.

As a junior in 2023, Ash placed third in the conference championships, and 20th in the NAIA championships.

As a sophomore in 2022, Ash won two events, the CCC Preview and the EOU Invitational. He was named conference athlete of the week three times.

EOU freshman Giacomo Rigueiro, a 2024 Baker High School graduate, was a member of the 4×400 relay team that set an EOU record of 3:16.44 in the preliminaries at the national championships in Florida on Feb. 27. The EOU team, which placed 15th, broke the previous school record of 3:16.91 set last year.

The outdoor track and field season starts March 15 with a meet at Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho.

Malaki Myer, a 2024 Baker High School graduate, is also a member of the EOU team. He competes in sprints.