Men's Track and Field Heads to Kent to Defend Indoor Title

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University's men's track and field team will head off to Kent, Ohio to compete in the 2014 Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, Feb. 28-March 1 at Kent State Field House.

The Eagles enter the meet as the defending champions, after winning the 2013 MAC Championship title by a margin of 12.5 points over the University of Akron. The Zips are expected to give the Green and White some tense competition, as both teams boast multiple athletes in the top-10 standings for conference season performances.

The following is a review of each team's strengths coming into the conference meet. Live results will be available throughout the meet via deltatiming.com.

EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles have 20 athletes that rank in the top-10 MAC performances for the 2013-14 season, and return 19 athletes that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, while losing just five top performers to graduation. After winning the conference meet with 157.5 points and garnering MVP, Most Outstanding Track Performer, and Coach of the Year honors, the Eagles will look to reprise their success from last year.

The Green and White currently has nine athletes on the roster that have championship titles to defend. On the track, Matthew Williams (Moreno Valley, Calif.-Vista Del Gado) took the 200m with a time of 21.68, but it has been junior Cameron Bolton and newcomer Tyler Brown (Findlay, Ohio-Findlay) that have been the frontrunners for the event, both finishing below the 21.50 mark. Senior Grzegorz Kalinowski (Torun, Poland-Nicolaus Copernicus University) stands a strong chance to repeat his victory in the mile run, as he has come close to breaking the sub-four minute mark this year, notching a season-best time of 4:00.91 at the Meyo Invitational to hold the best performance in the MAC. Also leading the MAC this year is Donald Scott (Apopka, Fla.-Apopka), who has already beaten the 15.20-meter/49-foot 10.50-inch mark that won him the 2013 triple jump title by over a foot, leaping 15.47 meters/50 feet 9.25-inches to top the MAC charts. Six additional athletes could potentially repeat their titles in the relays. Williams, along with Bolton, Jason Ervin (Farmington Hills, Mich.-Farmington), and Jeff Elam (Latrobe, Pa.-Greater Latrobe Senior) took the 4x400m by a margin of over three seconds. However, this season the team has seen the rookie Brown and sophomore Mason Waynes (Kenosha, Wisc.-Bradford) take spots in the relay team, as the quartet of Bolton, Brown, Ervin, and Waynes recorded the team's fastest mark of the season, a 3:11.64 finish that sits a mere .02 seconds behind Akron's relay team. In the distance medley relay, an event in which the Eagles have traditionally excelled, Ian Hancke (Haslett, Mich.-Haslett), Scott Bradley (Battle Creek, Mich.-Lakeview), and Chris Scott (Holt, Mich.-Holt) could potentially team up with Kalinowski to defend the 2013 title that was won by a margin of over six seconds, but the Eagles have a number of quality distance athletes to fall back upon to remain victorious in the DMR.

Presently, the Eagles stand in the top-four in 11 events against MAC performances from the 2013-14 season. The squad is heavily fielded in the distance events, led by redshirt-freshman Willy Fink (Maumee, Ohio-Maumee) and redshirt-junior Warren Witchell (Williamston, Mich.-Dansville). Fink stands in second in both the 3000m and 5000m, while Witchell holds the third spot for the pair of races. In the 3000m run, the duo has nearly identical times, finishing in 18:15.17 and 18:15.99 at the SPIRE Invitational, Feb. 15. For the 5000m run, redshirt-junior Harry Dixon joins the mix with the fourth-best time in the MAC. Also expected to do well in both events is freshman Lahsene Bouchikhi (Antwerp, Belgium), who has meshed well with the team since joining in December.

Bolton has continued to be a powerhouse in the sprints, holding the top time of 47.12 in the 400m and the second-best mark of 21.10 in the 200m. Right behind Bolton in the 400m is Brown, whose breakout freshman campaign has given him a top-four standing in the 400m (47.72) as well as the long jump, in which the freshman's leap of 7.34 meters/24 feet 1.00-inch gives him the third spot in conference rankings.

Undoubtedly a field athlete to follow, senior Max Babits (Howell, Mich.-Fowlerville) has been making a strong case to take the pole vault title. Babits ranks second in the MAC behind Akron's wunderkind Shawn Barber and is sixth in the nation with his career-high and EMU record-breaking mark of 5.51 meters/18 feet 1.00-inch. Also looking to make an impact in his final indoor season donning the Green and White is Teron Turner (Ypsilanti, Mich.-Southfield Senior), who currently ranks fourth in the weight throw with an 18.99-meter/62-foot 3.75-inch launch. Another thrower to keep an eye out for is sophomore Travis Harris (Walled Lake, Mich.-Walled Lake Central), who currently sits at fifth in MAC standings. However, Harris has set a personal-record in every meet so far this season, so his ever-improving marks could very well land him in the upper echelon of championship performers.

The Eagles have not shied away from staunch competition this season, as they have taken on opponents at Notre Dame, Michigan, and the SPIRE Institute. Throughout the season, nearly every member of the squad has improved on his marks en route to the 2014 MAC Championships.

AKRON: The University of Akron comes into the 2014 MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships as the only team that boasts an athlete in the top-four among conference standings in nearly every event, with the exception of only the 200m dash. Losing just five seniors to graduation, Akron's roster features 19 returners that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 Championships, including individual champions Gabriel Genovesi (800m), Shawn Barber (pole vault), Martel Durant (high jump), and Alex McCune (heptathlon). Last year, Akron was runner-up behind Eastern Michigan with 142 points.

The Zips have immense depth in the field events, as five of the top-10 MAC performances in the pole vault and four of the highest marks in the long jump and triple jump belong to an Akron athlete. In the pole vault, Shawn Barber leads all MAC competitors with an astounding season-high height of 5.66 meters/18 feet 6.75-inches, which stands as the second-best clearance in the nation. The sophomore has cleared the 18-foot mark on multiple occasions, as he is just one-of-two members of a MAC institution to vault the coveted height along with EMU's own Max Babits. Upperclassmen McCune and Shawn Light round out the top-four in the pole vault, giving Akron three of the spots in the leading quartet.

Of the eight athletes that are in the top of the charts for the long jump and triple jump, four Zips are in the elite company of the top-four in their respective events. Senior Daryl Baptiste's distance of 7.48 meters/24 feet 6.50-inches puts him at second in the long jump, while De'Vion Tate is not far behind in fourth after jumping 7.24 meters/23 feet 9.00-inches. In the triple jump, the Zips will turn to Miles Coates and rookie Michael Ohiembor, who have both eclipsed the 15-foot mark with their leaps.

Senior Nicholas Banke is expected to be the leader in the shot put for Akron, boasting an 18.19-meter/59-foot 8.25-inch launch to notch his season-best finish that ranks him third in the MAC. Also sitting at third in throws is sophomore Zachary Shull, who threw for 19.26 meters/63 feet 2.25-inches in the weight throw. Rounding out the field eventers is Durant, whose clearance of 2.12 meters/6 feet 11.50-inches in the high jump puts him in a tie for second among conference opponents.

The Zips have multiple athletes topping the leaderboards in the track events, with junior Kyle Cochrun holding the top spot in the 3000m and 5000m runs. Cochrun maintains a strong margin in the 3000m, besting Eagle Willy Fink by nine seconds in the 3000m, but only holds a two-second advantage in the 5000m. Akron maintains the second spot in the mile run, as freshman Clayton Murphy has clocked a 4:02.04 to notch a formidable season-best in his rookie campaign. Moving into mid-distance, Jake Hiltner will look to retain his top time in the 800m, as he currently has the best performance at 1:49.05. In sprints,the Zips have freshman Hakeem Lawrence in a tie for the top time, turning out a 6.77 in the 60m in his first collegiate season. Also racing well has been Ohiembor, who in is third in the MAC the 400m at 47.82 behind EMU's Cameron Bolton and Tyler Brown. As Akron's top hurdler, McCune will look to place in the top-four in the 60H riding his season-best mark of 8.02 seconds.

Akron holds a razor-thin edge on the Eagles in the 4x400, as the Zips have a season-best time of 3:11.62 that is just .02 seconds faster than EMU's best mark. Led by Miles Baldwin, Brent Gray, Ohiembor, and Sean Weems, the quartet of runners will give the Eagles a run for their money in the event.

BUFFALO: The Bulls feature a number of athletes that rank highly in the MAC standings after losing six seniors to graduation that performed amongst the top of the field at the 2013 MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships. With 15 championship-caliber athletes returning on the roster, Buffalo features two athletes that will be defending their titles: Miles Lewis (60m) and Jonathan Jones (shot put). Last year, the Bulls took fourth with 73 points at the 2013 MAC Championships.

Though Lewis has recorded a season-best time faster than his 6.82 in the 60m by .02 seconds, he currently ranks sixth in the MAC among the top performances from the 2013-14 campaign. In a three-way tie for the fastest mark is sophomore teammate Ryan Billian with a 6.77 mark. Billian also boasts the third-best time in the 60m hurdles, and will look to build upon his runner-up finish at last year's conference meet as the reigning champion in the event, Akron's Tyshaun Peoples, has since graduated. Also hoping to improve on last year for the tracksters is Brian Crimmins, who ranks third in the 800m (1:50.71) and fourth in the mile (4:08.85). Crimmins has shaved nearly six seconds off his mile mark since the 2013 Championships, and will aim to make his first collegiate championship appearance in the 800m. Returning in the distance events is Cameron Bruce, who currently ranks fourth in the conference in the 3000m at 8:18.97 behind EMU's Willy Fink and Warren Witchell.

Buffalo will look to junior All-American Jonathan Jones to score major points in the shot put. Last year, Jones won the event by a distance of nearly two meters, throwing 19.59m. This year, he has continued to improve and leads all MAC competitors with a season-best throw of 19.95 meters/65 feet 5.5-inches. His mark also ranks as the seventh-best in the nation. Also throwing well among national ranks is Evan Palmer, who is tied for the 19^th-farthest throw in the NCAA after a 20.68-meter/67-foot 10.25-inch launch in the weight throw in his final campaign as a Bull.

The team should also have some solid performances in the jumps, as junior Chris Reape currently holds the MAC standard in the high jump after clearing 2.14 meters/7 feet 0.25-inches and Billian transitioned from the track to the field to lead the conference in the long jump with a distance of 7.60 meters/24 feet 11.5-inches. In the triple jump, sophomore Austin Price falls short of Eastern's Donald Scott by nearly a foot, as his 15.23-meter/49-foot 11.75-inch performance puts him at the second-best leap in the conference.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Central Michigan University features 10 athletes on its roster that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Championships, including three members of the distance medley relay team that took second behind Eastern Michigan's squad. The Chippewas had just one other top-four finish in their 39-point fifth-place finish, as Ben Wynsma took third in the mile.

This season, the Chippewas have struggled to place athletes in the top-10 in MAC standings for the 2013-14 campaign, and an even smaller group of four can claim a top-four mark. Leading the way for CMU is Renaldo Powell, who currently holds the fastest time in the 60m hurdles after clocking a season-best 7.80. The senior did not appear in last year's MAC meet, and will look to stay on top for his final indoor championship effort. Also performing well on the track are Ziemowit Dutkiewicz and Kyle Allinder, who are fourth in the 400m and 800m, respectively. Dutkiewicz has recorded a 47.83 in the 400m, which is faster than any time recorded at the 2013 conference meet, while Allinder will most likely replace graduated senior Nathan Sanches in the 800m. The Chippewas return most of their 2013 runner-up 4x400m relay team in Dutkiewicz, Wynsma, and sophomore Anderson Lee. However, the four runners that have produced the best time of the season for CMU have been Dutkiewicz, senior Clay Holman, junior Curtis Mitchell, and rookie Malik Vasquez, turning in a 3:13.39 performance that stands as the fourth-best mark in the conference for the season.

On the field, Alex Rose could do well in the throwing events, as the senior sits at fourth in the shot put after a 17.40-meter/57-foot 1.00-inch hurl. Rose is also a contender to place in the weight throw, as he took sixth at last year's championships. Sophomore jumper Matt Mueller should also return to compete in the high jump, improving on his height from the 2013 championship meet by three centimeters.

KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes lost six seniors that placed in the upper-eight of the 2013 MAC Championships, but return a strong core of 15 athletes on their roster. No members of Kent State's team have any titles to defend coming into the 2014 conference meet, but a reprisal of the 15 top-four marks from last year's meet could help the Golden Flashes place well this year after coming away with a third-place finish courtesy of 113.5 points just a year ago.

Despite having a strong freshman campaign last year and placing third and second in the 60m and 200m, respectively, sophomore Wayne Gordon currently leads all MAC competitors in the performance lists for the events. Gordon has shaved .11 seconds off his 60m time from the 2013 MAC meet, notching a season-best 6.77 to enter a three-way tie for the top time. He is the sole leader in the 200m, boasting a 21.06 finish that is over half a second faster than his championship time. Also expected to keep pace with Gordon is rookie Riak Reese, who has a 6.79 in the 60 and a 21.33 in the 200m, good for the fourth-best time in the conference in both events. Underclassman William Barnes could also do some considerable damage in the 200m after clocking a season-best 21.29 for the third-fastest time in the MAC. Barnes also will look to improve upon his finish from last year in the 60m hurdles, in which he took home a third-place finish. This year, Barnes boasts the second-best time of 7.83, an improvement of a quarter of a second over his finish at last year's meet.

On the field, sophomore Cody Jones has tacked on an additional inch and a half in his high jump height to sit in a tie for the fourth-best mark in the conference. Jesse Oxley has added considerable height to his pole vault effort, increasing his personal-best by over eight inches to hold another fourth-place performance in the MAC seasonal field.

After placing third in the shot put at last year's meet, Michael King will have to put on a stellar performance to get the best of Buffalo's Jonathan Jones, but King could still make an impact in the shot put as he comes into the MAC Championships with the top mark behind Jones after throwing 18.47 meters/60 feet 7.25-inches. In the weight throw, the odds are in sophomore Matthias Tayala's favor to retain his championship title. Tayala has added nearly four and a half feet to his weight throw mark, which ranks him not only well above the MAC field by a margin of over four feet, but also gives the Ohio native the fifth-best mark in the nation.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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