Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, May 16
Akron, OH
TBD
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Championships
Perrin, 4x400 Relay Team Win, Eagles Second
5/16/2009 11:50:40 PM | Men's Track & Field
Perrin awarded Most Outstanding Track Performance and Karanja named MVP
Complete Results
Photo Gallery Day Three
AKRON, Ohio-Despite an outstanding effort on day three of the 2009 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championship, the Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team finished second with 178 points behind host Akron, Saturday May 16. The Zips, who totaled 197 points swept the men's and women's titles for the second straight year. Kent State was in third place with 172 points followed by Central Michigan (103), Buffalo (89) and Miami (74).
EMU senior Josh Perrin (Hillsdale, Mich.-Hillsdale) won his second event of the meet on Saturday, winning the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:34.36 to set a Lee Jackson Field record. He had previously won the 10,000-meter run on Thursday night. For his efforts, he was given the Most Outstanding Track Performance award. Teammate Josh Karanja (Ottawa, Canada-Nepean) came in a close second in the 5,000 with a time of 14:34.68. Karanja also took fifth in the 1,500-meter run and had already picked up a victory in the steeplechase Friday, May 15. With three events and a total of 22 points,Karanja, was named the Most Valuable Performer along with Kent State's Curtis Eaton.
In the final event of the meet, the quartet of Kevin Lanier (White Lake, Mich.-Lakeland), Kyle Fortin (Fairview, Mich.-Fairvirew-CMU), Ackeem Forde (Haynesville, Barbados-Cambridge & Parry) and Nate Blackwell (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Central) recorded a season-best time in the 4x400-meter relay, winning the event in a time of 3:12.16, edging out Kent State and securing the runner-up team spot for the Eagles.
Lanier had one of the most outstanding performances at the meet competing in 16 events over the course of three days. He picked up a third place finish after competing Thursday and Friday in the decathlon, accumulating 6,681 points. He would then run in the prelims of the 110 and 400-meter hurdles, qualifying for the finals in both events. On Saturday, he opened his day by running the lead-off leg of the 4x100-meter relay team, placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, third in the 400 hurdles and then ended the meet as the lead runner in the winning 4x400-meter relay team. Fellow hurdler Tymell Dodd (Lansing, Mich.-Sexton) picked up an eighth-place performance in the 110 hurdles.
Gerald Gersham (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield) and Xavier Clais (Paris, France) picked up huge second-place finishes on the final day, adding eight points each in two events. Gersham threw over a 30-foot personal-record in the discus to finish with silver-medalist honors, throwing 166-07. In the high jump, Clais cleared 7-00.25, an outdoor collegiate-best for the junior. The mark also movedhim up in the regional rankings. Senior Clint Keranan (Lake Fenton, Mich.-Lake Fenton) jumped a career-best 6-07.00 to finish tied for fifth place.
Blackwell and Forde also picked up some more points for the Eagles in the sprints. Blackwell ran a career-best time of 47.23 seconds in the 400-meter dash to place third, while Forde took fifth-place honors in the quarter mile, as he too ran a collegiate-best 47.65 seconds. Forde also recorded a fourth-place time of 21.68 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Koleon Presecott (Oakland, Calif.-Merritt College) added depth in the 200, placing sixth with a time of 21.97 seconds.
In the 800-meter run, the Eagles had a trio of athletes competing in the finals, as Blake Figgins (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford-Missouri) took home the silver medal, running 1:50.86. David Brent (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary's Catholic) was third with a time of 1:51.30, while Curtis Vollmar (Grand Blanc, Mich.-Grand Blanc) placed eighth in 2:01.95. Vollmar had already picked up a sixth-place finish on Friday in the steeplechase.
In the finals of the 1,500-meter run, Neal Naughton (Walled Lake, Mich.-Western) led a threesome of Eagles as he placed fourth with a time of 3:51.92, followed by Karanja in fifth and Brent in sixth, running 3:53.92. Naughton also picked up a fifth-place showing in the 5,000.
Clint Allen (Muskegon, Mich.-Orchard View) who was hampered all season with a lingering injury, ran a season-best time of 10.60 seconds in the 100-meter dash to place fourth. He would then team up with Lanier, Prescott and Forde to place third in the 4x100-meter dash, running 41.14 seconds.
On Friday, Gersham threw 56-10.00 in the shot put on his first of six throws, fouling out on his five remaining tosses, but held off the field, winning by well over a foot. The win was Gersham's first MAC Championship title in any event, and his toss was a season-best and NCAA Regional qualifying mark, a 10-inch improvement. Earlier in the day, Gersham also picked up a point in the hammer throw by placing eighth with a toss of 166-07.The Eagles added six more points in the shot put as Jarid Pearson (Walled Lake, Mich.-Western) took the bronze medal in the event, throwing a season-best mark of 52-10.75 on the first throw of the finals, his fourth toss overall.
Throughout the championship, several athletes earned bids to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship in Loisville, Ky., May 29-30, including the 4x400-meter relay team, Perrin (5K only), Karanja, Clais and Gersham. All but the 4x400-meter relay team had already hit the regional qualifying standard in several events.
Mid-American Conference Championship
Akron, Ohio
May 14-16
(Advancement to some finals based on heat finish not on time)
Team Scores
1. Akron 197
2. Eastern Michigan 178
3. Kent State 172
4. Central Michigan 103
5. Buffalo 89
6. Miami 74
MAC Outdoor Honors--Men
Most Valuable Performer: Josh Karanja, Eastern Michigan; Curtis Eaton, Kent StateMost Outstanding Track Performance: Josh Perrin, Eastern Michigan
Most Outstanding Field Performance: Daniel Kinsey, Akron
Coach of the Year: Dennis Mitchell
100-meter dash finals
4. Clint Allen 10.60
100-meter dash prelims
8. Clint Allen 10.72
9. Koleon Prescott 10.91
200-meter dash finals
4. Ackeem Forde 21.68
6. Koleon Prescott 21.97
200-meter dash prelims
2. Koleon Prescott 21.44
7. Ackeem Forde 21.44
400-meter dash finals
3. Nate Blackwell 47.23
5. Ackeem Forde 47.65
400-meter dash prelims
1. Nate Blackwell 47.65
6. Ackeem Forde 48.26
11. Kyle Fortin 49.94
800-meter run finals
2. Blake Figgins 1:50.86
3. David Brent 1:51.30
8. Curtis Vollmar 2:01.95
800-meter run prelims
1. Blake Figgins 1:52.26
5. David Brent 1:52.65
7. Curtis Vollmar 1:52.87
1,500-meter run finals
4. Neal Naughton 3:51.92
5. Josh Karanja 3:52.04
6. David Brent 3:53.92
1,500-meter run prelims
2. Josh Karanja 4:05.14
5. David Brent 4:00.00
12. Neal Naughton 4:06.43
3,000-meter steeplechase
1. Josh Karanja 8:57.65
Lee Jackson Field Record
6. Curtis Vollmar 9:27.29
9. David Brent 9:46.29
5,000-meter run
1. Josh Perrin 14:34.36
Lee Jackson Field Record
2. Josh Karanja 14:34.68
5. Neal Naughton 14:42.04
10,000-meter run
1. Josh Perrin 30:43.06
4. Kyle Mena 31:03.16
10. Luke Chrusciel 32:24.99
110-meter hurdle finals
5. Kevin Lanier 14.57
8. Tymell Dodd 14.83
110-meter hurdle prelims
5. Kevin Lanier 14.75
8. Tymell Dodd 14.77
400-meter hurdle finals
3. Kevin Lanier 53.47
400-meter hurdle prelims
4. Kevin Lanier 54.24
10. Tymell Dodd 55.19
4x400-meter relay
1. Lanier, Fortin, Forde, Blackwell 3:12.16
4x100-meter relay
3. Prescott, Forde, Lanier, Allen 41.14
High Jump
2. Xavier Clais 7-00.25
t5. Clint Keranan 6-07.00
Pole Vault
12. Derek Reeves 14-01.25
12. Adam McMillan 14-01.25
Long Jump
5. Xavier Clais 23-03.50
11. Oliver Walther 22-01.00
Triple Jump
4. Oliver Walther 48-02.00
9. Xavier Clais 44-08.00
Discus
2. Gerald Gersham 160-11
13. Andrew Meyer 124-03
Hammer Throw
8. Gerald Gersham 166-07
11. Andrew Meyer 149-00
Javelin
9. Vinnie Tyle 172-02
Shot Put
1. Gerald Gersham 56-10.00
3. Jarid Person 52-10.75
10. Andrew Meyer 51-03.00
Decathlon
3. Kevin Lanier 6,681
Photo Gallery Day Three
AKRON, Ohio-Despite an outstanding effort on day three of the 2009 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championship, the Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team finished second with 178 points behind host Akron, Saturday May 16. The Zips, who totaled 197 points swept the men's and women's titles for the second straight year. Kent State was in third place with 172 points followed by Central Michigan (103), Buffalo (89) and Miami (74).
EMU senior Josh Perrin (Hillsdale, Mich.-Hillsdale) won his second event of the meet on Saturday, winning the 5,000-meter run with a time of 14:34.36 to set a Lee Jackson Field record. He had previously won the 10,000-meter run on Thursday night. For his efforts, he was given the Most Outstanding Track Performance award. Teammate Josh Karanja (Ottawa, Canada-Nepean) came in a close second in the 5,000 with a time of 14:34.68. Karanja also took fifth in the 1,500-meter run and had already picked up a victory in the steeplechase Friday, May 15. With three events and a total of 22 points,Karanja, was named the Most Valuable Performer along with Kent State's Curtis Eaton.
In the final event of the meet, the quartet of Kevin Lanier (White Lake, Mich.-Lakeland), Kyle Fortin (Fairview, Mich.-Fairvirew-CMU), Ackeem Forde (Haynesville, Barbados-Cambridge & Parry) and Nate Blackwell (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Central) recorded a season-best time in the 4x400-meter relay, winning the event in a time of 3:12.16, edging out Kent State and securing the runner-up team spot for the Eagles.
Lanier had one of the most outstanding performances at the meet competing in 16 events over the course of three days. He picked up a third place finish after competing Thursday and Friday in the decathlon, accumulating 6,681 points. He would then run in the prelims of the 110 and 400-meter hurdles, qualifying for the finals in both events. On Saturday, he opened his day by running the lead-off leg of the 4x100-meter relay team, placed fifth in the 110-meter hurdles, third in the 400 hurdles and then ended the meet as the lead runner in the winning 4x400-meter relay team. Fellow hurdler Tymell Dodd (Lansing, Mich.-Sexton) picked up an eighth-place performance in the 110 hurdles.
Gerald Gersham (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield) and Xavier Clais (Paris, France) picked up huge second-place finishes on the final day, adding eight points each in two events. Gersham threw over a 30-foot personal-record in the discus to finish with silver-medalist honors, throwing 166-07. In the high jump, Clais cleared 7-00.25, an outdoor collegiate-best for the junior. The mark also movedhim up in the regional rankings. Senior Clint Keranan (Lake Fenton, Mich.-Lake Fenton) jumped a career-best 6-07.00 to finish tied for fifth place.
Blackwell and Forde also picked up some more points for the Eagles in the sprints. Blackwell ran a career-best time of 47.23 seconds in the 400-meter dash to place third, while Forde took fifth-place honors in the quarter mile, as he too ran a collegiate-best 47.65 seconds. Forde also recorded a fourth-place time of 21.68 seconds in the 200-meter dash. Koleon Presecott (Oakland, Calif.-Merritt College) added depth in the 200, placing sixth with a time of 21.97 seconds.
In the 800-meter run, the Eagles had a trio of athletes competing in the finals, as Blake Figgins (Detroit, Mich.-Mumford-Missouri) took home the silver medal, running 1:50.86. David Brent (Monroe, Mich.-St. Mary's Catholic) was third with a time of 1:51.30, while Curtis Vollmar (Grand Blanc, Mich.-Grand Blanc) placed eighth in 2:01.95. Vollmar had already picked up a sixth-place finish on Friday in the steeplechase.
In the finals of the 1,500-meter run, Neal Naughton (Walled Lake, Mich.-Western) led a threesome of Eagles as he placed fourth with a time of 3:51.92, followed by Karanja in fifth and Brent in sixth, running 3:53.92. Naughton also picked up a fifth-place showing in the 5,000.
Clint Allen (Muskegon, Mich.-Orchard View) who was hampered all season with a lingering injury, ran a season-best time of 10.60 seconds in the 100-meter dash to place fourth. He would then team up with Lanier, Prescott and Forde to place third in the 4x100-meter dash, running 41.14 seconds.
On Friday, Gersham threw 56-10.00 in the shot put on his first of six throws, fouling out on his five remaining tosses, but held off the field, winning by well over a foot. The win was Gersham's first MAC Championship title in any event, and his toss was a season-best and NCAA Regional qualifying mark, a 10-inch improvement. Earlier in the day, Gersham also picked up a point in the hammer throw by placing eighth with a toss of 166-07.The Eagles added six more points in the shot put as Jarid Pearson (Walled Lake, Mich.-Western) took the bronze medal in the event, throwing a season-best mark of 52-10.75 on the first throw of the finals, his fourth toss overall.
Throughout the championship, several athletes earned bids to the NCAA Mideast Regional Championship in Loisville, Ky., May 29-30, including the 4x400-meter relay team, Perrin (5K only), Karanja, Clais and Gersham. All but the 4x400-meter relay team had already hit the regional qualifying standard in several events.
Mid-American Conference Championship
Akron, Ohio
May 14-16
(Advancement to some finals based on heat finish not on time)
Team Scores
1. Akron 197
2. Eastern Michigan 178
3. Kent State 172
4. Central Michigan 103
5. Buffalo 89
6. Miami 74
MAC Outdoor Honors--Men
Most Valuable Performer: Josh Karanja, Eastern Michigan; Curtis Eaton, Kent StateMost Outstanding Track Performance: Josh Perrin, Eastern Michigan
Most Outstanding Field Performance: Daniel Kinsey, Akron
Coach of the Year: Dennis Mitchell
100-meter dash finals
4. Clint Allen 10.60
100-meter dash prelims
8. Clint Allen 10.72
9. Koleon Prescott 10.91
200-meter dash finals
4. Ackeem Forde 21.68
6. Koleon Prescott 21.97
200-meter dash prelims
2. Koleon Prescott 21.44
7. Ackeem Forde 21.44
400-meter dash finals
3. Nate Blackwell 47.23
5. Ackeem Forde 47.65
400-meter dash prelims
1. Nate Blackwell 47.65
6. Ackeem Forde 48.26
11. Kyle Fortin 49.94
800-meter run finals
2. Blake Figgins 1:50.86
3. David Brent 1:51.30
8. Curtis Vollmar 2:01.95
800-meter run prelims
1. Blake Figgins 1:52.26
5. David Brent 1:52.65
7. Curtis Vollmar 1:52.87
1,500-meter run finals
4. Neal Naughton 3:51.92
5. Josh Karanja 3:52.04
6. David Brent 3:53.92
1,500-meter run prelims
2. Josh Karanja 4:05.14
5. David Brent 4:00.00
12. Neal Naughton 4:06.43
3,000-meter steeplechase
1. Josh Karanja 8:57.65
Lee Jackson Field Record
6. Curtis Vollmar 9:27.29
9. David Brent 9:46.29
5,000-meter run
1. Josh Perrin 14:34.36
Lee Jackson Field Record
2. Josh Karanja 14:34.68
5. Neal Naughton 14:42.04
10,000-meter run
1. Josh Perrin 30:43.06
4. Kyle Mena 31:03.16
10. Luke Chrusciel 32:24.99
110-meter hurdle finals
5. Kevin Lanier 14.57
8. Tymell Dodd 14.83
110-meter hurdle prelims
5. Kevin Lanier 14.75
8. Tymell Dodd 14.77
400-meter hurdle finals
3. Kevin Lanier 53.47
400-meter hurdle prelims
4. Kevin Lanier 54.24
10. Tymell Dodd 55.19
4x400-meter relay
1. Lanier, Fortin, Forde, Blackwell 3:12.16
4x100-meter relay
3. Prescott, Forde, Lanier, Allen 41.14
High Jump
2. Xavier Clais 7-00.25
t5. Clint Keranan 6-07.00
Pole Vault
12. Derek Reeves 14-01.25
12. Adam McMillan 14-01.25
Long Jump
5. Xavier Clais 23-03.50
11. Oliver Walther 22-01.00
Triple Jump
4. Oliver Walther 48-02.00
9. Xavier Clais 44-08.00
Discus
2. Gerald Gersham 160-11
13. Andrew Meyer 124-03
Hammer Throw
8. Gerald Gersham 166-07
11. Andrew Meyer 149-00
Javelin
9. Vinnie Tyle 172-02
Shot Put
1. Gerald Gersham 56-10.00
3. Jarid Person 52-10.75
10. Andrew Meyer 51-03.00
Decathlon
3. Kevin Lanier 6,681
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