Men's Track Takes Second at MAC Championships

Complete Results

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team took second place at the 2008 Mid-American Conference Championships after Saturday's (May 17) final events here at Bowling Green State University.

The Eagles scored 182 points while the University of Akron took the team championship with 183 points. Kent State University was third at 153 points and Miami University finished fourth with 129.50 points. Central Michigan (85.5) and Buffalo (79) rounded out the team standings.

Senior Eric Alejandro led the Eagles on day three, winning the 110 and 400-meter hurdles and winning as a member of the 4x100 and 4x400-meter relays. For his efforts, he was named the MAC Most Valuable Performer, an award given to the athlete who accumulates the most points.

Sophomore Clint Allen was given the MAC Most Outstanding Track Performance award, after winning the 100-meter dash in a time of 10.21. His time ranks second in school history behind Hasely Crawford and is also the ninth-best performance in the country.

Sophomore Nate Blackwell claimed the 400 meter gold medal today, winning with a time of 47.84. With the win, he automatically qualifies for the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship at the end of May. Also running in the finals of the 400 meters were Ackeem Forde and Darrin Trammell. Forde took fourth, while Darrin Trammell finished sixth. Forde also finished third in the 200 meters.

Both the 4x100 and 4x200-meter relay teams won gold medals. Alejandro, Forde, Oliver Walther and Allen won the 4x100 with a season-best time of 40.80, while the quartet of Alejandro, Forde, Trammell and Blackwell won the 1,600-meter relay.

Rounding out the individual and relay MAC Champions was junior Josh Perrin who won the 10,000 meter crown on Thursday evening.

Tymell Dodd and Kevin Lanier both scored in the high and intermediate hurdles. In the 110 hurdles, Dodd finished fourth and Lanier finished eighth, while Lanier finished fourth and Dodd was sixth in the 400 hurdles.

In the 5,000 meters, juniors Josh Karanja and Josh Perrin finished third and seventh, respectively.

David Brent recorded a second place finish in the 1,500 meters and was eighth in the 800 meters for the Eagles.

Off the track, several athletes recorded points for the Green and White. Xavier Clais finished fourth in the high jump, clearing 6-10.75, while Kyle Holmes and Oliver Walther took third and fourth, respectively in the triple jump.

On Thursday and Friday, the Eagles recorded several top performances. The Eagles claimed second place in the steeplechase, shot put and the long jump. Josh Karanja finished with a time of 9:08.11 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Gerald Gersham threw a two-foot personal-best in the shot put, going 59-02.25, and was just 1.25 inches out of first. His mark was also an NCAA Regional qualifying mark and is the fourth-best mark in school history. In the long jump, Oliver Walther moved from sixth to second place on his final attempt, going 23-03.25.

Phil Saffron recorded an eighth place finish in the pole vault, clearing 15-01.00. In the decathlon, senior Brad Waidmann took fourth, while freshman Vinnie Tyle took seventh.

The Eagles’ season doesn’t end here, as several athletes will be competing at the Mideast Regional May 30-31.

Men's Results
1.             Akron                      183
2.             Eastern Michigan   182
3.             Kent State               153
4.             Miami                      129.5
5.             Central Michigan    85.5
6.             Buffalo                     79

Award Winners

MEN

* Most Valuable Performer: Eric Alejandro, Eastern Michigan
* Most Outstanding Track Performance: Clint Allen, Eastern Michigan
* Most Outstanding Field Performance: Cadeau Kelley, Akron
* Coach of the Year: Dennis Mitchell, Akron
* 2008 Outdoor Track & Field Champions: The University of Akron

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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