THESE LOCAL BUSINESSES SUPPORT OUR ATHLETES

Tucker's Automotive Repair & Tire Female Athlete Of Month For Explorers: Freshman Eliza Boatman Claims Three Gateway Metro Titles

The incoming sophomore turned heads in her freshman season, piling up conference titles across hurdles and long jump while showing the versatility coaches covet.

Dan Brannan, Content Director

Jul 15, 2026 11:50 AM Jul 15, 2026 1:42 PM

Save

Listen to the story

Marquette hurdler Eliza Boatman. ALTON - Incoming sophomore Eliza Boatman created quite an awakening this past spring in outdoor track and field for Marquette Catholic High School.

Boatman recorded a personal best in the 100-meter hurdles, taking the Gateway Metro Track and Field Championships title with a time of 17.16 in the spring. She also won the Gateway Metro title in the 300 hurdles (50.05).

Get The Latest News!

Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.

She was a member of Marquette's 4 x 100 and 4 x 200 relays at times during the season. Her other specialty was the long jump, where she won the Gateway title with a leap of 15-4 on May 6, 2026. She was 15th at the sectional in the long jump in Springfield - 14-5.75.

Athlete of the Month is sponsored by

At Evangelical School in Godfrey, Boatman was very competitive in eighth grade, posting a time of 13.98 in the 100 meters and 30.05 in the 200 meters at the Carrollton sectional, finishing fourth in both races. She recorded a personal best of 29.62 in the 200 meters in eighth grade.

"Eliza Boatman is a true competitor," her coach this past season, Billy Sprague, said. "She was a freshman by age, but she trained and competed like a seasoned veteran. She did a lot for the girls' team this season.

"She ran on sprint relays, was our No. 1 long jumper, our No. 1 hurdler, and brought home three conference championships in individual events. She has a bright future ahead of her and I know she will work harder and harder each day. She doesn't accept mediocrity. She holds herself to a high standard, and the performance shows."

Prefer RiverBender on Google