Former WCU Athlete Earns Trip to Olympic Trials

The following is a press release from the West Chester University Athletic Department.

Former West Chester University track & field All-American Eric Broadbent was selected to represent the United States in the Pan-American Combined Events Cup during the Memorial Day weekend. 

Hosted in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the first-ever meet brought together athletes from 10 countries to compete in the heptathlon and decathlon events. 

In his first international competition, Broadbent placed second overall with a score of 7,498 points in the decathlon, falling just short of his personal best of 7,750 set at the Mt. SAC Relays decathlon in California in April. Competing against athletes from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Cuba, Broadbent won three events on the first day (long jump, high jump, 400m) and placed second in another (100m) to lead the competition at the end of day one of the decathlon. 

Broadbent, in his first competition wearing a USA jersey, was the top American in the competition. Next up for the 2008 West Chester University graduate will be the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on June 22-23.

He will be the second former Golden Rams All-American to earn a trip to the U.S. Olympic Trials. Former swimming national champion Jackie Borkowski will also be vying for a spot on the 2012 U.S. national team at the swimming trials to be held later this month.