Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 28
Kent, Ohio
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Indoor Championship
Women's Track and Field Takes on Conference in Kent
2/27/2014 12:33:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Eagles hope to improve upon runner-up finish from 2013
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University's women'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 the Kent State Field House.
The Eagles took second at the 2013 MAC Championships with 94 points behind this year's host Kent State University. The Golden Flashes will fight to retain their championship title and are backed by some of the conference's top performers as well as nationally-ranked athletes. The Green and White boasts its fair share of high-caliber athletes as well, and will make a run to dethrone Kent State on its home track.
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: Despite losing seven athletes that placed in the top-eight of the 2013 Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships while returning seven experienced Eagles on the roster, Eastern Michigan has a strong chance at placing well at this year's conference meet. The Eagles have at least one athlete in the top-10 performances among this season's conference rankings in 12 events, including nine top-four finishes.
Looking to make an impact in the sprints will be Aaliyah McKinney (South Bend, Ind.-John Adams), who currently sits in a tie for the fastest 60m time in the MAC with a mark of 7.54 seconds. The sophomore will also compete in the 200m for the Green and White, looking to improve upon a sixth-place finish in her opening campaign from just one year ago. The Eagles should bring in some high scores in the distance events, led by international student-athlete Victoria Voronko (Stavropol, Russia-School #42). The junior boasts the top time in the MAC in the 3000m and 5000m as well as the second-best time in the mile, bested by Toledo's Megan Wright by a mere .03 seconds. Voronko has broken the EMU record in all three events this season, and will look to claim titles in each as she holds a 14-second edge on the next athlete in the 3000m and a 25-second margin in the 5000m. Senior co-captain Kayla Pfund (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Lutheran North) could also make an impact at the 3000m and the 5000m, while junior Taylor Knoll (Waren, Mich.-Mott (Lansing CC)) will join Voronko in the mile run lineup.
Three seniors have the ability to score well for the Green and White in the pentathlon as well as individual events. French transfer Sarah Chauchard (Montpellier, France-University of Montpellier) currently boasts the top pentathlon score in the MAC after busting open the EMU record with a score of 3,963. Her compatriot, Pauline Chiariglione (Ajaccio, France-University of Nice) is tied for second in the conference after turning out a 3,781-point performance to finish behind Chauchard at the Findlay Classic, Jan. 24. The pair is also slated to compete in the 60m hurdles and high jump. Joining the duo will be senior co-captain Kate Wolanin (Oxford, Mich.-Oxford) in the pentathlon and high jump. Wolanin currently holds the fourth-highest jump in the conference after clearing a career-best 1.74 meters/5 feet 8.5-inches.
The squad should see some solid performances on the field out of pole vaulters Ellie Braidic (Pandora, Ohio-Pandora-Gilboa) and Natalie Uy (Kettering, Ohio-Fairmont). While Braidic already has MAC Championship experience, taking eighth at last year's meet in her first season donning the Green and White, Uy will be making her conference meet debut to cap off her rookie indoor season. Both sit in a tie for the ninth-best vaults in the conference after each clearing 3.85 meters/12 feet 7.5-inches. In the horizontal jumps, Makeda DeBardelaben (Saginaw, Mich.-Arthur Hill) will compete in the long jump and triple jump.
The Eagles have also put together a strong 4x400m relay team, comprised of Danielle Clark (Paramaribo, Suriname-Ewald P. Meyer Lyceum), Iesha Hardiman (Santa Clara, Calif.-Adrian Wilcox), McKinney, and Morgan Yeadon (Indianapolis, Ind.-Pike). The group of sprinters hopes to improve upon a runner-up finish from the 2013 MAC Championships, despite the loss of staple member Asia Rawls to graduation.
AKRON: The Zips return eight athletes on their roster who placed in the upper-eight finishes at the 2013 MAC Championships, but Akron also has a number of freshmen who are making a strong case to perform well for their team at this year's meet. Coming into her junior season, Rachel Christian currently is in the top-four in conference standings in both the 60m and 200m, tying EMU's Aaliyah McKinney's mark of 7.54 seconds in the 60m to share the top spot while also turning out a 24.49-second performance in the 200m for the third-best performance in the MAC.
Moving into the 400m and 800m, a trio of freshmen could potentially score well for Akron in their first championship meet. Dazion Green currently holds the fourth-fastest time in the 400m at 55.36, followed closely by classmate Desiree Garland. In the 800m, rookie trackster Natalie Zidd holds the third spot in the MAC charts. Junior pentathlete Skyler Willis, who is tied with EMU's Pauline Chiariglione after a 3,781-point performance, also holds a top time in the 60m hurdles.
On the field, the Zips hold a staunch advantage in the pole vault by boasting five of the top-10 athletes in MAC standings, led by Annika Roloff and Claire Lucas, who are two-of-three athletes to have vaulted above four meters in the event. Roloff is heavily favorited in the event, as she has vaulted nearly one foot higher than second-place Lucas to retain her reign at the top of the MAC charts. Akron also has the top athlete in the triple jump and weight throw, as well as the second-best high jumper in the conference. Freshman Weronicka Gaudyn not only has the top distance in the MAC in the triple jump, but her mark of 12.99 meters/42 feet 7.5-inches ranks in the top-10 nationally. Another top-10 performer graces the MAC standings, as junior weight thrower Brittany Funk currently holds the fourth-spot in the nation behind a 21.77-meter/71-foot 5.25-inch launch. Though sophomore Gabrielle Szkolnicka holds the second spot in the conference in the high jump, there is no shame in sitting behind Kent State's Dior Delophont, who is tied for the third-best height in the NCAA.
BALL STATE: The Cardinals have nowhere to go but up after scoring just seven points at the 2013 MAC Championships. Just one member of Ball State's squad returns to the team with top-eight experience, as Haley Austin is in her junior campaign tied with EMU's Kate Wolanin for the fourth-best high jump in the conference, clearing 1.74 meters/5 feet 8.5-inches. Joining Austin in the high jump will be Mindy Marx, who also sits in the top-10 MAC performances at 1.70 meters/5 feet 7.00-inches.
The Cardinals will turn to their field athletes to score the majority of their points, primarily in the long jump, triple jump, and weight throw. Christina Crawford boasts the sixth-best long jump performance after leaping a distance of 5.84 meters/19 feet 2.00-inches, and Zenee Gadson could score in the triple jump. In the throws, sophomore Marie Lumpkin will look to make an impact in the weight throw and improve upon her 18.09-meter/59-foot 4.25-inch throw that put her eighth in the conference standings.
BOWLING GREEN: Bowling Green is another team that will look to improve upon its performance from the previous season, after amassing twelve points. Three athletes that placed in the top-eight return to the roster, but just one has cracked the top-10 in conference standings for the current season. Junior thrower Brooke Pleger will look to compete in the weight throw and improve upon a fifth-place finish from the 2013 MAC Championships. Pleger has tacked on over one meter to her weight throw distance since the past year, as she currently holds the spot for the third-best performance in the MAC with a throw of 20.68 meters/67 feet 10.25-inches. Not far behind Pleger in conference standings is Cristina Perrine, who will be coming into the final MAC indoor meet of her career as the fifth-ranked thrower in the conference.
Sophomore Alicia Arnold has the potential to win some big points for the Falcons competing in both the 200m and long jump. Arnold has the second-best time in the 200 after a 24.42 performance, and holds the fourth spot on the charts in the long jump with a leap of 5.92 meters/19 feet 5.25-inches. Competing in the 60m will be Jeanette Pettigrew in her senior campaign. Pettigrew's time of 7.56 seconds in the 60m sits at third in the conference. Bowling Green could also turn to a number of underclassmen to bring in scores, such as Rachel Durbin in the mile, Tiera Parker in the triple jump, or Makenzie Wheat in the shot put. The Falcons also have junior pentathlete Krystin Resier in their arsenal, who has made a 600-point improvement over her season-best from 2013.
BUFFALO: The University at Buffalo returns just over half of its top finishers from the previous season for the 2013-14 campaign. The Bulls are expected to score most of their points on the track, led by seniors Donna Jeanty and Asia Henry as well as sophomore Camaria Long. Henry currently holds the standard for the MAC in the 800m, notching a season-best finish of 2:08.24, while Jeanty is the second-fastest athlete in the 400m with a 55.05 mark. Long sweeps in to lead the team in the 200m with a time of 24.50. The trio also teamed up with senior Crystal Graham to record the second-fastest time in the conference in the 4x400m relay, resulting in a 3:42.47 finish.
The Bulls have three pole vaulters that stand in the top-10 among conference competitors to score on the field. Junior Kelly Truppo boasts the highest vault out of the three athletes as the only Bull to have cleared four meters this season, giving her the third spot in the MAC. Jenn Thill will be looked upon to compete well in her freshman campaign, as she has cleared a height just one centimeter higher than teammate Jenna Van Dusen to earn the fifth-best performance in the conference.
In the throws, sophomore Megan Patterson will be making her MAC Indoor Championship debut at both shot put and weight throw. Patterson leads the team in both categories with a pair of top-10 MAC throws, and will be joined by senior Rachel Roberts in the shot put.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Chippewas return nine athletes for the 2013-14 season that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Championships, but lost their top competitors to graduation. CMU should turn to a trio of upperclassmen to lead the team on the track in the 400m, led by current MAC leader Shawntoreah Turk. Juniors Bridget Doughty and Ravyn Baxter will also compete in the event, as all three claim top-10 times in the conference. Central has a number of distance athletes to call upon to score in the meet, namely Kelly Schubert and Krista Parks in the 5000m, Breanne Lesnar in the 3000m, and Alyssa Dyer in the mile.
The team also has a pair of top performers on the field in senior Megan Heffner and sophomore Shaya Wilkerson. Heffner has the third-best high jump in the MAC at 1.75 meters/5 feet 8.75-inches, and Wilkerson has claimed the third spot in her event, the triple jump. Wilkerson has had a season-best distance of 12.02 meters/39 feet 5.25-inches, adding over a foot to her mark since her rookie campaign.
KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes come into the MAC meet boasting the most top-four conference performances in the 2014 field. As the host team and incumbent champions from the previous season, Kent State has a myriad of athletes to watch in the 2014 MAC Championships. KSU returns 13 top-eight athletes from just a year ago, but also lost seven team members that aided last year's team victory. Though the Golden Flashes no longer have Shanequa Williams, the 2013 champion in the 200m and 400m as well as a part of the winning 4x400m relay team, the team still boasts a fair amount of sprinters to score in the upcoming meet. Junior Roseanne Erickson comes into the meet as the fastest performer in the MAC in the 200m behind a 24.41-second performance, and classmate Ann Marie Duffus has the fourth-best time in the 60m at 7.57 seconds and is the fastest hurdler at 8.32 seconds. The pair also holds the top-two spots in the long jump, led by Erickson with a 6.04-meter/19-foot 19.75-inch leap. Duffus is not far behind her teammate at 6.02 meters/19 feet 9.00-inches.
Four members of the Kent State squad are nationally-ranked in their respective events. Reigning MAC MVP Dior Delophont is the third-ranked athlete in the high jump among national competition, leading the conference with a season-best jump of 1.85 meters/6 feet 0.75-inches. Delophont also joins Erickson and Duffus in the long jump rankings with the third-best leap and holds the second spot in the triple jump. The sophomore will be defending titles in all three events this weekend. The Golden Flashes also boast the ninth and 10th-best shot put athletes in the NCAA, as sophomore Danniel Thomas leads the MAC with a distance of 16.97 meters/55 feet 8.25-inches, nearly a five-foot improvement since her freshman effort. Joh'vonnie Mosley comes into the meet not far behind Thomas with a 16.92-meter/55-foot 6.25-inch launch. Mosley finished second at last year's conference meet behind teammate Jackie Leppelmeier, who currently has the fourth-best shot put distance in the MAC. Leppelmeier is also the second-best athlete in the weight throw in conference standings while ranking ninth in the nation with a season-best 21.14 meters/69 feet 4.25-inches, adding over four feet to her event since last season.
MIAMI: The RedHawks lose the most top-eight performers from the 2013 MAC Championships as eight athletes have finished their careers at Miami University. Of the seven returners on the roster, Miami will turn to its track athletes to be the primary point-winners. Sophomore Laura Bess has shaved a few seconds off her time in the mile and enters the 2014 MAC Championships behind EMU's Victoria Voronko in conference standings. Also going up against Voronko will be junior Anna Lamb in the 3000m and 500m. Lamb's strength lies in the longer distance, as she holds the fourth spot in the 5000m with a time of 16:53.59.
Miami could also earn some high scores in the mid-distance races as the junior pair of Charlotte Myers and Taylor Wickware are set to compete in the 800m. Looking to make an immediate impact is freshman Alexus Jimson-Miller, who holds the second-best time in the 60m hurdles at 8.55 seconds.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS: NIU is another team that will look to improve upon last year after claiming 10th in the meet with 16 points. The Huskies lose more top performers than they return, as all four members of the returning squad were members of the eighth-place distance medley relay team. Northern Illinois could see some strong freshman performances from sprinter A'lesha Irvin-Muhammed in the 60m and 200m as well as Claudette Day in the high jump. Both Huskie newcomers stand in the top-10 in the conference in each event, along with junior Latesha Bibgy in the 60m and 60m hurdles. NIU could also garner some points from junior thrower Sidra Sherrill in the shot put.
OHIO: The Bobcats scored nearly all of their 38 points in the 2013 MAC Championships on the track, primarily in the distance events. Melissa Thompson returns to defend her title in the mile run, but the senior has struggled this season with a 4:53.87 mark that still puts her in the top-10 among conference standings. Thompson could also be a part of the distance medley relay team, which also took a championship title last season, along with senior Juli Accurso. Accurso comes in as the second-ranked athlete in the 3000m, and Ohio could see a strong performance from sophomore Caroline Hildebrand, who will represent the Bobcats in both the 3000m and 5000m. Pentathlete Chandra Cuckler could be a contender in the pentathlon as she comes into the meet ranked fourth in the conference, and she will also compete in the 60m hurdles and high jump in an effort to score more points for the team.
TOLEDO: Toledo is another team that should score the majority of its points on the track, with most of its strength lying in the distance events. The Rockets boast five of the top-10 athletes in the MAC in both the 3000m and 5000m. With a large pool of athletes from which Toledo can pull its contenders, the Rockets will run Brooke Tullis, Devyn Ramsay, and Makenzie Chojnackie in the 5000m. Tullis has the second-best time in the conference in the event, but is over 25 seconds behind EMU's Victoria Voronko with a time of 16:50.96. Megan Gaysunas and Liz Weiler are expected to pace the Rockets in the 3000m, while Tullis and junior Megan Wright will compete in the mile. Wright is the only athlete in the MAC to have bested Voronko in her strongest events, finishing just .03 seconds ahead of the Russian runner with a 4:39.81 finish to lead the MAC.
WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos return the majority of their top performers, namely seniors Andrea Arnold and Aisha Hodge along with juniors Rebecca Hall and Kathryn Pickett. Hodge is the only Bronco that looks to defend a title in the upcoming meet, focusing her energy on the 800m. The senior is currently ranked fourth in the MAC with a time of 2:10.00. Classmate Arnold was a staple in last year's meet, competing in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay. Arnold helped score big points in the 400m and third in the 4x400m relay, while her sister Ariel was part of the third-place distance medley relay team. Hall was also a member of the 4x400m relay, along with Hodge, and took second in the 200m. This year, Hall ranks fifth in the conference with a 24.52 mark in the 200m. Pickett will compete in both the pentathlon and long jump, as she is ranked in the top-10 in both events. Last year, Pickett took third in the pentathlon and will look to improve this year, entering the conference meet with a score of 3,698. Pickett was also a part of the fastest 4x400m relay time of the season, teaming up with Arnold, Hall, and Alexis Hull to clock the 3:41.36 finish that ranks as the best time in the MAC.
The Eagles took second at the 2013 MAC Championships with 94 points behind this year's host Kent State University. The Golden Flashes will fight to retain their championship title and are backed by some of the conference's top performers as well as nationally-ranked athletes. The Green and White boasts its fair share of high-caliber athletes as well, and will make a run to dethrone Kent State on its home track.
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: Despite losing seven athletes that placed in the top-eight of the 2013 Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships while returning seven experienced Eagles on the roster, Eastern Michigan has a strong chance at placing well at this year's conference meet. The Eagles have at least one athlete in the top-10 performances among this season's conference rankings in 12 events, including nine top-four finishes.
Looking to make an impact in the sprints will be Aaliyah McKinney (South Bend, Ind.-John Adams), who currently sits in a tie for the fastest 60m time in the MAC with a mark of 7.54 seconds. The sophomore will also compete in the 200m for the Green and White, looking to improve upon a sixth-place finish in her opening campaign from just one year ago. The Eagles should bring in some high scores in the distance events, led by international student-athlete Victoria Voronko (Stavropol, Russia-School #42). The junior boasts the top time in the MAC in the 3000m and 5000m as well as the second-best time in the mile, bested by Toledo's Megan Wright by a mere .03 seconds. Voronko has broken the EMU record in all three events this season, and will look to claim titles in each as she holds a 14-second edge on the next athlete in the 3000m and a 25-second margin in the 5000m. Senior co-captain Kayla Pfund (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Lutheran North) could also make an impact at the 3000m and the 5000m, while junior Taylor Knoll (Waren, Mich.-Mott (Lansing CC)) will join Voronko in the mile run lineup.
Three seniors have the ability to score well for the Green and White in the pentathlon as well as individual events. French transfer Sarah Chauchard (Montpellier, France-University of Montpellier) currently boasts the top pentathlon score in the MAC after busting open the EMU record with a score of 3,963. Her compatriot, Pauline Chiariglione (Ajaccio, France-University of Nice) is tied for second in the conference after turning out a 3,781-point performance to finish behind Chauchard at the Findlay Classic, Jan. 24. The pair is also slated to compete in the 60m hurdles and high jump. Joining the duo will be senior co-captain Kate Wolanin (Oxford, Mich.-Oxford) in the pentathlon and high jump. Wolanin currently holds the fourth-highest jump in the conference after clearing a career-best 1.74 meters/5 feet 8.5-inches.
The squad should see some solid performances on the field out of pole vaulters Ellie Braidic (Pandora, Ohio-Pandora-Gilboa) and Natalie Uy (Kettering, Ohio-Fairmont). While Braidic already has MAC Championship experience, taking eighth at last year's meet in her first season donning the Green and White, Uy will be making her conference meet debut to cap off her rookie indoor season. Both sit in a tie for the ninth-best vaults in the conference after each clearing 3.85 meters/12 feet 7.5-inches. In the horizontal jumps, Makeda DeBardelaben (Saginaw, Mich.-Arthur Hill) will compete in the long jump and triple jump.
The Eagles have also put together a strong 4x400m relay team, comprised of Danielle Clark (Paramaribo, Suriname-Ewald P. Meyer Lyceum), Iesha Hardiman (Santa Clara, Calif.-Adrian Wilcox), McKinney, and Morgan Yeadon (Indianapolis, Ind.-Pike). The group of sprinters hopes to improve upon a runner-up finish from the 2013 MAC Championships, despite the loss of staple member Asia Rawls to graduation.
AKRON: The Zips return eight athletes on their roster who placed in the upper-eight finishes at the 2013 MAC Championships, but Akron also has a number of freshmen who are making a strong case to perform well for their team at this year's meet. Coming into her junior season, Rachel Christian currently is in the top-four in conference standings in both the 60m and 200m, tying EMU's Aaliyah McKinney's mark of 7.54 seconds in the 60m to share the top spot while also turning out a 24.49-second performance in the 200m for the third-best performance in the MAC.
Moving into the 400m and 800m, a trio of freshmen could potentially score well for Akron in their first championship meet. Dazion Green currently holds the fourth-fastest time in the 400m at 55.36, followed closely by classmate Desiree Garland. In the 800m, rookie trackster Natalie Zidd holds the third spot in the MAC charts. Junior pentathlete Skyler Willis, who is tied with EMU's Pauline Chiariglione after a 3,781-point performance, also holds a top time in the 60m hurdles.
On the field, the Zips hold a staunch advantage in the pole vault by boasting five of the top-10 athletes in MAC standings, led by Annika Roloff and Claire Lucas, who are two-of-three athletes to have vaulted above four meters in the event. Roloff is heavily favorited in the event, as she has vaulted nearly one foot higher than second-place Lucas to retain her reign at the top of the MAC charts. Akron also has the top athlete in the triple jump and weight throw, as well as the second-best high jumper in the conference. Freshman Weronicka Gaudyn not only has the top distance in the MAC in the triple jump, but her mark of 12.99 meters/42 feet 7.5-inches ranks in the top-10 nationally. Another top-10 performer graces the MAC standings, as junior weight thrower Brittany Funk currently holds the fourth-spot in the nation behind a 21.77-meter/71-foot 5.25-inch launch. Though sophomore Gabrielle Szkolnicka holds the second spot in the conference in the high jump, there is no shame in sitting behind Kent State's Dior Delophont, who is tied for the third-best height in the NCAA.
BALL STATE: The Cardinals have nowhere to go but up after scoring just seven points at the 2013 MAC Championships. Just one member of Ball State's squad returns to the team with top-eight experience, as Haley Austin is in her junior campaign tied with EMU's Kate Wolanin for the fourth-best high jump in the conference, clearing 1.74 meters/5 feet 8.5-inches. Joining Austin in the high jump will be Mindy Marx, who also sits in the top-10 MAC performances at 1.70 meters/5 feet 7.00-inches.
The Cardinals will turn to their field athletes to score the majority of their points, primarily in the long jump, triple jump, and weight throw. Christina Crawford boasts the sixth-best long jump performance after leaping a distance of 5.84 meters/19 feet 2.00-inches, and Zenee Gadson could score in the triple jump. In the throws, sophomore Marie Lumpkin will look to make an impact in the weight throw and improve upon her 18.09-meter/59-foot 4.25-inch throw that put her eighth in the conference standings.
BOWLING GREEN: Bowling Green is another team that will look to improve upon its performance from the previous season, after amassing twelve points. Three athletes that placed in the top-eight return to the roster, but just one has cracked the top-10 in conference standings for the current season. Junior thrower Brooke Pleger will look to compete in the weight throw and improve upon a fifth-place finish from the 2013 MAC Championships. Pleger has tacked on over one meter to her weight throw distance since the past year, as she currently holds the spot for the third-best performance in the MAC with a throw of 20.68 meters/67 feet 10.25-inches. Not far behind Pleger in conference standings is Cristina Perrine, who will be coming into the final MAC indoor meet of her career as the fifth-ranked thrower in the conference.
Sophomore Alicia Arnold has the potential to win some big points for the Falcons competing in both the 200m and long jump. Arnold has the second-best time in the 200 after a 24.42 performance, and holds the fourth spot on the charts in the long jump with a leap of 5.92 meters/19 feet 5.25-inches. Competing in the 60m will be Jeanette Pettigrew in her senior campaign. Pettigrew's time of 7.56 seconds in the 60m sits at third in the conference. Bowling Green could also turn to a number of underclassmen to bring in scores, such as Rachel Durbin in the mile, Tiera Parker in the triple jump, or Makenzie Wheat in the shot put. The Falcons also have junior pentathlete Krystin Resier in their arsenal, who has made a 600-point improvement over her season-best from 2013.
BUFFALO: The University at Buffalo returns just over half of its top finishers from the previous season for the 2013-14 campaign. The Bulls are expected to score most of their points on the track, led by seniors Donna Jeanty and Asia Henry as well as sophomore Camaria Long. Henry currently holds the standard for the MAC in the 800m, notching a season-best finish of 2:08.24, while Jeanty is the second-fastest athlete in the 400m with a 55.05 mark. Long sweeps in to lead the team in the 200m with a time of 24.50. The trio also teamed up with senior Crystal Graham to record the second-fastest time in the conference in the 4x400m relay, resulting in a 3:42.47 finish.
The Bulls have three pole vaulters that stand in the top-10 among conference competitors to score on the field. Junior Kelly Truppo boasts the highest vault out of the three athletes as the only Bull to have cleared four meters this season, giving her the third spot in the MAC. Jenn Thill will be looked upon to compete well in her freshman campaign, as she has cleared a height just one centimeter higher than teammate Jenna Van Dusen to earn the fifth-best performance in the conference.
In the throws, sophomore Megan Patterson will be making her MAC Indoor Championship debut at both shot put and weight throw. Patterson leads the team in both categories with a pair of top-10 MAC throws, and will be joined by senior Rachel Roberts in the shot put.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Chippewas return nine athletes for the 2013-14 season that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Championships, but lost their top competitors to graduation. CMU should turn to a trio of upperclassmen to lead the team on the track in the 400m, led by current MAC leader Shawntoreah Turk. Juniors Bridget Doughty and Ravyn Baxter will also compete in the event, as all three claim top-10 times in the conference. Central has a number of distance athletes to call upon to score in the meet, namely Kelly Schubert and Krista Parks in the 5000m, Breanne Lesnar in the 3000m, and Alyssa Dyer in the mile.
The team also has a pair of top performers on the field in senior Megan Heffner and sophomore Shaya Wilkerson. Heffner has the third-best high jump in the MAC at 1.75 meters/5 feet 8.75-inches, and Wilkerson has claimed the third spot in her event, the triple jump. Wilkerson has had a season-best distance of 12.02 meters/39 feet 5.25-inches, adding over a foot to her mark since her rookie campaign.
KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes come into the MAC meet boasting the most top-four conference performances in the 2014 field. As the host team and incumbent champions from the previous season, Kent State has a myriad of athletes to watch in the 2014 MAC Championships. KSU returns 13 top-eight athletes from just a year ago, but also lost seven team members that aided last year's team victory. Though the Golden Flashes no longer have Shanequa Williams, the 2013 champion in the 200m and 400m as well as a part of the winning 4x400m relay team, the team still boasts a fair amount of sprinters to score in the upcoming meet. Junior Roseanne Erickson comes into the meet as the fastest performer in the MAC in the 200m behind a 24.41-second performance, and classmate Ann Marie Duffus has the fourth-best time in the 60m at 7.57 seconds and is the fastest hurdler at 8.32 seconds. The pair also holds the top-two spots in the long jump, led by Erickson with a 6.04-meter/19-foot 19.75-inch leap. Duffus is not far behind her teammate at 6.02 meters/19 feet 9.00-inches.
Four members of the Kent State squad are nationally-ranked in their respective events. Reigning MAC MVP Dior Delophont is the third-ranked athlete in the high jump among national competition, leading the conference with a season-best jump of 1.85 meters/6 feet 0.75-inches. Delophont also joins Erickson and Duffus in the long jump rankings with the third-best leap and holds the second spot in the triple jump. The sophomore will be defending titles in all three events this weekend. The Golden Flashes also boast the ninth and 10th-best shot put athletes in the NCAA, as sophomore Danniel Thomas leads the MAC with a distance of 16.97 meters/55 feet 8.25-inches, nearly a five-foot improvement since her freshman effort. Joh'vonnie Mosley comes into the meet not far behind Thomas with a 16.92-meter/55-foot 6.25-inch launch. Mosley finished second at last year's conference meet behind teammate Jackie Leppelmeier, who currently has the fourth-best shot put distance in the MAC. Leppelmeier is also the second-best athlete in the weight throw in conference standings while ranking ninth in the nation with a season-best 21.14 meters/69 feet 4.25-inches, adding over four feet to her event since last season.
MIAMI: The RedHawks lose the most top-eight performers from the 2013 MAC Championships as eight athletes have finished their careers at Miami University. Of the seven returners on the roster, Miami will turn to its track athletes to be the primary point-winners. Sophomore Laura Bess has shaved a few seconds off her time in the mile and enters the 2014 MAC Championships behind EMU's Victoria Voronko in conference standings. Also going up against Voronko will be junior Anna Lamb in the 3000m and 500m. Lamb's strength lies in the longer distance, as she holds the fourth spot in the 5000m with a time of 16:53.59.
Miami could also earn some high scores in the mid-distance races as the junior pair of Charlotte Myers and Taylor Wickware are set to compete in the 800m. Looking to make an immediate impact is freshman Alexus Jimson-Miller, who holds the second-best time in the 60m hurdles at 8.55 seconds.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS: NIU is another team that will look to improve upon last year after claiming 10th in the meet with 16 points. The Huskies lose more top performers than they return, as all four members of the returning squad were members of the eighth-place distance medley relay team. Northern Illinois could see some strong freshman performances from sprinter A'lesha Irvin-Muhammed in the 60m and 200m as well as Claudette Day in the high jump. Both Huskie newcomers stand in the top-10 in the conference in each event, along with junior Latesha Bibgy in the 60m and 60m hurdles. NIU could also garner some points from junior thrower Sidra Sherrill in the shot put.
OHIO: The Bobcats scored nearly all of their 38 points in the 2013 MAC Championships on the track, primarily in the distance events. Melissa Thompson returns to defend her title in the mile run, but the senior has struggled this season with a 4:53.87 mark that still puts her in the top-10 among conference standings. Thompson could also be a part of the distance medley relay team, which also took a championship title last season, along with senior Juli Accurso. Accurso comes in as the second-ranked athlete in the 3000m, and Ohio could see a strong performance from sophomore Caroline Hildebrand, who will represent the Bobcats in both the 3000m and 5000m. Pentathlete Chandra Cuckler could be a contender in the pentathlon as she comes into the meet ranked fourth in the conference, and she will also compete in the 60m hurdles and high jump in an effort to score more points for the team.
TOLEDO: Toledo is another team that should score the majority of its points on the track, with most of its strength lying in the distance events. The Rockets boast five of the top-10 athletes in the MAC in both the 3000m and 5000m. With a large pool of athletes from which Toledo can pull its contenders, the Rockets will run Brooke Tullis, Devyn Ramsay, and Makenzie Chojnackie in the 5000m. Tullis has the second-best time in the conference in the event, but is over 25 seconds behind EMU's Victoria Voronko with a time of 16:50.96. Megan Gaysunas and Liz Weiler are expected to pace the Rockets in the 3000m, while Tullis and junior Megan Wright will compete in the mile. Wright is the only athlete in the MAC to have bested Voronko in her strongest events, finishing just .03 seconds ahead of the Russian runner with a 4:39.81 finish to lead the MAC.
WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos return the majority of their top performers, namely seniors Andrea Arnold and Aisha Hodge along with juniors Rebecca Hall and Kathryn Pickett. Hodge is the only Bronco that looks to defend a title in the upcoming meet, focusing her energy on the 800m. The senior is currently ranked fourth in the MAC with a time of 2:10.00. Classmate Arnold was a staple in last year's meet, competing in the 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay. Arnold helped score big points in the 400m and third in the 4x400m relay, while her sister Ariel was part of the third-place distance medley relay team. Hall was also a member of the 4x400m relay, along with Hodge, and took second in the 200m. This year, Hall ranks fifth in the conference with a 24.52 mark in the 200m. Pickett will compete in both the pentathlon and long jump, as she is ranked in the top-10 in both events. Last year, Pickett took third in the pentathlon and will look to improve this year, entering the conference meet with a score of 3,698. Pickett was also a part of the fastest 4x400m relay time of the season, teaming up with Arnold, Hall, and Alexis Hull to clock the 3:41.36 finish that ranks as the best time in the MAC.
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