Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, May 15
Athens, Ohio
All Day
Eastern Michigan University
at
MAC Outdoor Championship
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Green and White Set to Take on MAC Championships
5/14/2014 3:00:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Women's track and field heads to Athens, Ohio for three-day meet
Complete Schedule of Events
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)—Eastern Michigan University's women's track and field team is set to make the trip to Athens, Ohio for the 2014 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in search of improvement from last year's fifth-place finish. The three-day event will run from Thursday, May 15, through Saturday, May 17.
The Eagles will take on 11 other teams from the MAC in the battle for a conference title, including: The University of Akron, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, the University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Kent State University, Miami University, Northern Illinois University, Ohio University, the University of Toledo, and Western Michigan University. Kent State comes into the competition with four consecutive outdoor championships to its name after winning the 2013 MAC Championships by a margin of 50 points over runner-up Akron.
The following is a review of each team based on their strengths, key athletes, and national rankings. Live results will be available throughout the meet via timerhub.com.
EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles return seven out of 12 athletes that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Outdoor Championships and are currently ranked 101st in Division I athletics by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). While the Green and White lost two MAC champions, it returns All-American Victoria Voronko (Stavropol, Russia-School #42) in her search for a repeat title in the 3000m steeplechase. Voronko has been having a phenomenal season and broken school records in five events between the indoor and outdoor campaigns, additionally being named the 2013 MAC Indoor Championships' Most Valuable Performer. During the outdoor season, the Russian native paces the conference in the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase, holding considerable margins over the rest of the MAC in both events. Voronko ran a time of 4:20.87 in the 1500m at the Billy Hayes Invitational, May 3, to record the fourth-fastest time in EMU program history and establish nearly a four-point lead over Miami's Laura Bess. Her advantage in the steeplechase is even more impressive, holding almost a 20-second edge over Liz Weiler of Toledo. Her time in the steeplechase ranks eighth in the NCAA East Region and 13th nationally.
Joining Voronko in the 1500m run will be Marina Manjon-Rivadulla (Barcelona, Spain-Escola University) and Taylor Knoll (Warren, Mich.-Mott (Lansing CC)). Both harriers have comparable season-bests in the event, with Knoll having the slight edge at 4:33.68, while Manjon-Rivadulla comes in at 4:35.12. The Green and White will have another set of similarly-seeded runners in the 3000m steeplechase, as Kayla Pfund (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Lutheran North) and Anna Quilez-Ribera (Girona, Spain-University of Girona) are seeded at 11:10.58 and 11:12.16, respectively. In the 5000m run, Voronko and Pfund will run side-by-side again, joined by Anna Aldrich (Fremont, Ind.-Fremont), who will take on the heavy task of competing in both the 5000m and 10,000m for the squad.
The pair of Aaliyah McKinney (South Bend, Ind.-John Adams) and Danielle Clark (Paramaribo, Suriname-Ewald P Meyer Lyceum) leads the Eagles in sprints and also stands in the top-10 of conference rankings. McKinney appears in the top portion of MAC athletes in both the 100m and 200m, holding the eighth-fastest time in the 100m at 11.95 seconds and the seventh-best mark in the 200m at 24.26. Clark ranks just behind McKinney in the 200m after clocking a time of 24.34. The two sprinters are also one-half of the EMU 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams along with Iesha Hardiman (Santa Clara, Calif.-Adrian Wilcox) and Morgan Yeadon (Indianapolis, Ind.-Pike), who are expected to represent the team in the 400m dash as well. The relay teams have seen success throughout the 2014 campaign, trailing Akron's 4x100m team by just 0.03 seconds at 45.84. The 4x400m lineup has the third-fastest time in the conference at 3:42.75 behind only Buffalo and Western Michigan.
Representing the team in the hurdles will be the French duo of Sarah Chauchard (Montpellier, France-University of Montpellier) and Pauline Chiariglione (Ajaccio, France-University of Nice). Chauchard boasts the eighth-fastest time in the MAC in the 100m hurdles, clocking in at 14.21 to pace the Eagles, while Chiariglione is seeded not far behind at 14.69 seconds. Only one Eagle will compete in the 400m hurdles, as Chiariglione comes into the competition as the fourth-fastest competitor throughout the season at 1:00.90. Chauchard will go on to compete in the heptathlon, hoping to have similar success to her pentathlon effort during the indoor season. The Montpellier, France native broke the EMU record on three occasions, finishing with a personal-best of 4,229 at the NCAA Indoor Championships to take sixth overall and garner All-American honors. Chauchard will be joined by senior Kate Wolanin (Oxford, Mich.-Oxford) in the seven-event series, who boasts the sixth-best heptathlon score in the conference with 4,554 points. Additionally, Wolanin is one of the league's leading high jumpers after consistently clearing or nearing her personal record of 1.75 meters/5 feet 8.75-inches. Wolanin is also looking to repeat or improve on her success from the indoor season, when she finished runner-up in the high jump to earn All-MAC Second Team honors.
In the horizontal jumps, the freshman/senior pairing of Janina Pollatz (Grandville, Mich.-Grand Rapids Christian) and Tiara Oates (Rochester, Mich.-Stoney Creek) will take on a talented field in the long jump, seeded at 5.58 meters/18 feet 3.75-inches and 5.71 meters/18 feet 8.75-inches, respectively. Pollatz will join two Eagles that are ranked in the top-10 among conference opponents in the pole vault, paced by Ellie Braidic (Pandora, Ohio-Pandora-Gilboa). Braidic became just the fifth member in EMU history to clear four meters in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault, notching a career-high 4.00 meters/13 feet 1.50-inches to tie for the fifth-best performance in the MAC. Not far behind Braidic is freshman Natalie Uy (Kettering, Ohio-Fairmont), who has the eighth spot on the MAC top-10 list at 3.90 meters/12 feet 9.50-inches.
The Eagles will also see three competitors in the hammer throw, led by Lydia Gomez-Diaz (Tarragona, Spain-IES Collblanc). The Spanish product boasts the eighth-farthest throw in the MAC at 54.05 meters/177 feet 3-inches and will be joined by Adrienne Waisner (Napoleon, Ohio-Napoleon) and Reagan Briggs (Bloomdale, Ohio-Elmwood). Waisner has shown steady improvement during the course of the season, finishing with a personal-best seeding of 48.57 meters/159 feet 4.25-inches.
Head Coach Sue Parks is pleased with how the team has grown over the course of both the indoor and outdoor campaigns. "We have shown improvement throughout the season and we feel ready to put together a total team effort," commented Parks. "We need as many athletes as possible in the finals in order to be successful in this meet. We have a number of athletes sitting just outside of scoring position, and I'm confident that they will rise to the occasion. We're looking forward to the challenge."
AKRON: The University of Akron was unable to come away with a victory at last year's MAC Championships, finishing runner-up by a considerable 50 points. Ranked 31st by the USTFCCCA, the Zips return 13 top-eight finishers from the previous season, including two MAC champions and an additional two runners-up. Senior Shauniece Steele returns to defend her title in the 400m, but has not been as dominant throughout the current campaign. Steele ranks 17th in the MAC at 56.58 seconds in a competitive field. Also defending a title is Alexis Cooks, who claimed victory in the discus throw and took second in the shot put. Cooks currently sits behind Kent State's Danniel Thomas for the farthest throw of MAC competitors in the discus throw at 55.68 meters/182 feet 8-inches, but Thomas has a strong upper hand with a lead of over 12 feet on the junior. Cooks is also behind Thomas in the shot put at 15.96 meters/52 feet 4.5-inches, but holds the third spot by just under three feet to KSU's Joh'vonnie Mosley. Senior Brittany Funk will be on the hunt to overcome reigning MAC champion Brooke Pleger of Bowling Green in the hammer throw. Though Funk sits at second in the conference behind Pleger at 66.33 meters/217 feet 7-inches, her mark ranks fourth in both NCAA East Region and national rankings.
The Zips will likely see the bulk of their success in the pole vault, as five of the top-10 spots in MAC standings belong to an Akron athlete. German transfer Annika Roloff leads the conference by nearly a foot, having cleared 4.41 meters/14 feet 5.5-inches. Roloff is the returning MAC champion from the indoor conference meet and earned All-American status with a third-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Her outdoor mark is ranked second in the NCAA East Region and fourth in the nation. The second and third spots in the top-10 also belong to regionally-ranked Zips, Caroline Hasse and Ariane Beaumont-Courteau. Hasse's mark of 4.15 meters/13 feet 7.25-inches is tied for 12th in the region and is 23rd in the nation, while 2013 pole vault runner-up Courteau is ranked 18th in the NCAA East Region at 4.13 meters/13 feet 6.5-inches.
On the track, Akron will expect to see a high finish from rookie Daziah Green in the 200m, as her mark of 23.68 paces the MAC. Green is also a part of the conference-leading 4x100m relay team along with Rachel Christian, Desiree Garland, and Daniella Johnson. The four sprinters have combined for a season-best time of 45.81 seconds, edging out EMU's relay team by a slight 0.03-second margin. In the hurdles, Skyler Willis holds the second-fastest time in both the 100m and 400m hurdles at 13.66 and 58.96 seconds.
An athlete on both the track and the field, Johnson currently sits at second in the conference in the long jump at 6.08 meters/19 feet 11.50-inches. The Zips have one more athlete atop the MAC leaderboards, as freshman Weronika Gaudyn will give reigning MAC champion Dior Delophont of Kent State a hard-fought battle for the title in the triple jump. Gaudyn currently holds the top distance in the conference, bounding 12.44 meters/40 feet 9.75-inches.
BALL STATE: The Cardinals have struggled to put members of the team in the top portion of the MAC charts this season, but will look to score more points after accruing just four at last year's meet to finish 12th overall. Ball State does not return any athletes that had a top-eight placement in 2013, but will look primarily to juniors Christina Crawford and Haley Austin to provide leadership this weekend. Crawford has two top-10 marks, sitting in seventh for the 100m at 11.90 while holding the third-best distance in the long jump at 6.04 meters/19 feet 9.75 inches. Austin should be able to contribute in the high jump, as her season-best mark of 1.70 meters/5 feet 7-inches ties for the fifth-highest in the MAC.
BOWLING GREEN: Ranked 59th by the USTFCCCA, Bowling Green returns seven out of nine top-eight finishers from the previous season. Looking to defend her crown in the hammer throw is junior Brooke Pleger, who was named the Most Valuable Field Performer in 2013. Pleger's season best of 67.97 meters/223 feet is just a six-foot edge over Akron's Funk, as the two throwers are ranked second and fourth in the nation.
The Falcons have had another standout athlete emerge throughout the course of the season in redshirt-senior Jeannette Pettigrew. The sprinter finished sixth in the 100m and was part of the sixth-place 4x100m relay team at the 2013 MAC Outdoor Championships, but is coming off a championship crown in the 60m at the 2014 MAC Indoor Championships. Pettigrew currently holds the top mark in the 100m at 11.61 seconds and the second-best in the 200m with a 23.75-second finish. She is accompanied by Alicia Arnold in the top-10 of both events; the sophomore is tied for ninth in the 100m (11.96), while she boasts the fourth-fastest 200m time at 24.14 seconds.
BUFFALO: Coming into the conference meet ranked 105th by the USTFCCCA, the Bulls return 12 athletes who placed in the top-eight of the field at last year's MAC Championships. Buffalo boasts two returning MAC champions in Meghan Manley and Emma Siuciak, both of whom are slated to defend their titles. Manley took the crown in the 800m in 2:07.41 in 2013, but has not posted a time below 2:09.64 during the current season. While Manley sits at sixth in the conference with her mark, teammate Asia Henry comes into the meet as the top-ranked 800m competitor with a time of 2:08.36. Also looking to repeat her winning ways is Emma Siuciak, who won the heptathlon with a comfortable 5,388 points. The junior will also compete in the high jump, in which she took third in 2013. This season, Siuciak has the second-highest clearance in the conference at 1.80 meters/5 feet 10.75-inches, which is also tied for the 14th-best mark in the NCAA East Region and 21st in the nation.
Buffalo also boasts the top athlete in the 400m hurdles. Donna Jeanty enters the final conference meet of her career with a time of 58.07 in the event, leading the MAC by nearly 0.90 seconds. Jeanty has found herself in national rankings at 19th while tying for 10th in the region. The senior also makes up one-quarter of the MAC-leading 4x400m team along with Henry, Crystal Graham, and Camaria Long. The team is the lone MAC lineup to post a time under 3:40.00, crossing the line in a season-best 3:39.35.
The Bulls can also look to see high marks on the field from Kelly Truppo and Rachel Roberts. Truppo sits in fourth behind Akron's terrific trio of pole vaulters at 4.05 meters/13 feet 3.5-inches, while Roberts has claimed the fourth spot on the shot put top-10 list at 15.46 meters/50 feet 8.75-inches.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Chippewas return 10 competitors from 2013's top-eight, while losing just two finalists to graduation. Ranked 117th by the USTFCCCA, Central Michigan will look primarily to its track athletes for scoring opportunities. Senior Shawntoreah Turk holds command of the MAC standings in the 400m as the only conference athlete to run a sub-54-second mark (53.92). Turk is also featured in the team's 4x400m relay team, which has the fifth-fastest finish in the MAC at 3:44.53. Another member of the 4x400m relay, Bridget Doughty, is looking to improve on a fifth-place finish in the 400m hurdles. Doughty currently holds the third spot in conference rankings at 59.65 and is followed closely by Emma Fishnick in 1:01.68.
CMU has solid representation in the 10,000m with Breanne Lesnar, Krista Parks, and Kelly Schubert all in the top-10. Lesnar's time of 34:50.14 puts her in third just 0.12 seconds behind Miami's Anna Lamb, but considerably behind Ohio's Juli Accurso, who leads the conference by more than 30 seconds. The Chippewas have one more member of the team in the top-three of the conference rankings. Devene Brown sits behind nationally-ranked Danniel Thomas of Kent State and Akron's Cooks at 54.64 meters/179 feet 3-inches in the discus throw
KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes enter the MAC Championships with a formidable USTFCCCA ranking at No. 25, returning 15 athletes that placed among the top-eight at last year's meet. Kent State also boasts the returning MAC Most Valuable Performer, Dior Delophont, who won both the high jump and triple jump while taking third in the long jump behind teammates Roseanne Erickson and Ann Marie Duffus. The power trio of Delophont, Duffus, and Erickson continues to dominate the MAC standings for the current season. Delophont leads the conference in the high jump, clearing 1.84 meters/6 feet 0.50-inches, which is tied for fifth in the NCAA East Region and sixth in the nation. She also holds the second-best triple jump mark at 12.39 meters/40 feet 7.75-inches and the third-farthest javelin throw at 44.99 meters/147 feet 7-inches. Duffus paces the conference in the 100m hurdles, boasting a mark of 13.49 seconds in her attempt to improve upon a runner-up finish from last year's competition. Erickson holds command of the long jump by a considerable margin, as her leap of 6.30 meters/20 feet 8-inches is nearly one foot farther than the next competitor standing as the 11th-best mark in the region and 16th in the nation. The junior also holds the second-fastest time in the 100m at 11.64 seconds.
Kent State boasts another group of dominant athletes in the throws. Joh'vonnie Mosley and Danniel Thomas are both ranked regionally and nationally in the shot put and discus throws to lead the team and the conference. Mosley has the upper hand in the shot put, throwing 16.79 meters/55 feet 1-inch over Thomas's 16.33-meter 53-foot-7-inch launch for the 1-2 finish in MAC standings. In the NCAA East Region, Mosley holds the seventh spot while Thomas is in 11th, and the two athletes rank 12th and 18th in the nation, respectively. Thomas leads not only the MAC, but also the region, in the discus throw. With a distance of 59.38 meters/194 feet 10-inches, Thomas sits only behind Texas A&M's Shelbi Vaughan in national rankings by less than five feet. Mosley is also a fierce competitor in the event, ranking fourth in the MAC and 15th in the region at 52.48 meters/172 feet 2-inches.
MIAMI: The RedHawks enter the MAC Championships ranked 88th by the USTFCCCA. Miami returns seven out of 12 top-eight competitors, but lost two key team members to graduation. Diona Graves was the champion in the 100m and 200m and contributed to the winning 4x100m and 4x400m relays, while the MAC Most Outstanding Track Performer Layne Baggett claimed victories in the 100m hurdles and 4x100m relay. With the departure of vital members of the relay teams, the 4x100m has dropped out of the top-ranked conference teams while the 4x400m sits at sixth in 3:46.01.
Junior Anna Lamb returns with hopes of making an impact at the distance events. Last season, Lamb won the 10,000m run and took second in the 5000m. This year, Lamb holds the second-best time in the conference in the 10k at 34:50.02, more than 30 seconds behind conference leader Juli Accurso of Ohio. Her time of 16:46.32 in the 5000m also puts her in the top-10 in MAC rankings, but the junior has fallen to sixth in the conference. The RedHawks will also look to Tori Paterra and Erica Mudd to score in the javelin throw and heptathlon. Paterra finished third at last year's MAC Championships in the javelin throw, but has since improved her mark by two meters to lead the MAC at 52.52 meters/172 feet 4-inches. Mudd will be capping off her senior season with an effort in the heptathlon, in which she is currently tied for third after amassing 4,829 points.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS: The Huskies return five members of the team that finished in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Championships and are ranked 164th by the USTFCCCA. Most of NIU's top competitors perform on the track, but the Huskies have one field athlete ranked in the NCAA West Region in Claudette Day. The freshman high jumper is ranked third in the MAC at 1.78 meters/5 feet 10-inches, which also puts her in a tie for fifteenth in the region. Day will also be making her rookie debut in the heptathlon, in which she is tied for third with 4,829 points.
On the track, the Huskies will look to Meghan Heuer, Latesha Bigby, and Ali Olson to score efficiently. Heuer holds the second-fastest time in the 800m, trailing Buffalo's Henry by .22 seconds at 2:08.54. In the 100m hurdles, Bigby is one of four athletes to run a sub-14-second mark. The junior holds the third spot at 13.75 seconds. Olson rounds out the group of promising tracksters as the team's contender in the steeplechase. The freshman has the fourth-fastest time in the conference, clocking in at 10:42.07.
OHIO: Ohio University returns six of seven top-eight finishers from the previous conference meet, including defending MAC champion in the 5000m, Juli Accurso. The senior holds a commanding lead over the conference in both the 5000m and 10,000m, clocking in at 15:59.12 and 34:18.42, respectively. Her mark in the 5000m makes her the only MAC competitor to run the distance in under 16 minutes, and is ranked 14th in the NCAA East Region and 29th in the nation. In the mid-distance 1500m run, Melissa Thompson has the third-best mark in the MAC at 4:26.08, and will be looking for a victory after finishing second at last year's meet. The Bobcats also boast Chanda Cuckler, who holds the top heptathlon score for the year at 5,005 points. Cuckler took fourth in 2013 and will also look to compete in the high jump as her mark of 1.70 meters/5 feet 7-inches puts her in a tie for fifth in the MAC.
TOLEDO: The Rockets return seven members from last year's top-eight finishers, and will look to score primarily in the distance events on the track. Mackenzie Chojnacky enters the meet as the second-ranked 5000m competitor behind Ohio's Accurso at 16:15.35, but could appear alongside Liz Weiler in the 3000m steeplechase. Weiler holds the second spot on the MAC top-10 list behind EMU's Voronko at 10:26.45, while Chojnacky has a season-best seeding of 10:26.89. Toledo has had success in the 10,000m as well, going 2-3 in 2013 behind Brooke Tullis and Devyn Ramsay. Tullis currently holds the fourth-best time in the conference in the event at 34:53.94, as two other Rockets appear in the top-10. Megan Vogelsong is in sixth at 35:17.99, while Priscilla Timmons holds the ninth spot at 35:54.09.
WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos are currently ranked 174th by the USTFCCCA and return seven athletes from 2013's top-eight finishes. Senior Aisha Hodge will aim to improve upon her runner-up finish in the 800m, currently boasting the conference's third-fastest time at 2:08.87. Another contender on the track looking to improve after finishing second is Andrea Arnold. Her time of 54.55 ranks second in the MAC, and the senior is also a staple of both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. The 4x400m relay holds the second-fastest time in the conference at 3:40.43, while the 4x100m relay falls just behind EMU's lineup for third in 45.86 seconds. WMU also has heptathlete Kathryn Pickett to score in the multi events. Pickett's score of 4,976 points puts her at second in the conference, as she is yet another Bronco in search of improving from a 2013 runner-up finish. To round out the star performers, Western Michigan has a solid thrower in Andrea Hiler. The senior ranks fifth in the conference in both the shot put (15.29m/50-02.00) and discus throw (51.88m/170-02), as well as ninth in the hammer throw (53.98m/177-01). Additionally, her mark in the competitive field for the discus throw ranks 18th in the NCAA East Region.
The MAC Championships will begin Thursday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. with the hammer throw. The heptathlon, pole vault, and javelin will be run during the afternoon, while competition for the day will conclude with the 10,000m run at 8:15 p.m. For more information, visit mac-sports.com.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com)—Eastern Michigan University's women's track and field team is set to make the trip to Athens, Ohio for the 2014 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships in search of improvement from last year's fifth-place finish. The three-day event will run from Thursday, May 15, through Saturday, May 17.
The Eagles will take on 11 other teams from the MAC in the battle for a conference title, including: The University of Akron, Ball State University, Bowling Green State University, the University at Buffalo, Central Michigan University, Kent State University, Miami University, Northern Illinois University, Ohio University, the University of Toledo, and Western Michigan University. Kent State comes into the competition with four consecutive outdoor championships to its name after winning the 2013 MAC Championships by a margin of 50 points over runner-up Akron.
The following is a review of each team based on their strengths, key athletes, and national rankings. Live results will be available throughout the meet via timerhub.com.
EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles return seven out of 12 athletes that placed in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Outdoor Championships and are currently ranked 101st in Division I athletics by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). While the Green and White lost two MAC champions, it returns All-American Victoria Voronko (Stavropol, Russia-School #42) in her search for a repeat title in the 3000m steeplechase. Voronko has been having a phenomenal season and broken school records in five events between the indoor and outdoor campaigns, additionally being named the 2013 MAC Indoor Championships' Most Valuable Performer. During the outdoor season, the Russian native paces the conference in the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase, holding considerable margins over the rest of the MAC in both events. Voronko ran a time of 4:20.87 in the 1500m at the Billy Hayes Invitational, May 3, to record the fourth-fastest time in EMU program history and establish nearly a four-point lead over Miami's Laura Bess. Her advantage in the steeplechase is even more impressive, holding almost a 20-second edge over Liz Weiler of Toledo. Her time in the steeplechase ranks eighth in the NCAA East Region and 13th nationally.
Joining Voronko in the 1500m run will be Marina Manjon-Rivadulla (Barcelona, Spain-Escola University) and Taylor Knoll (Warren, Mich.-Mott (Lansing CC)). Both harriers have comparable season-bests in the event, with Knoll having the slight edge at 4:33.68, while Manjon-Rivadulla comes in at 4:35.12. The Green and White will have another set of similarly-seeded runners in the 3000m steeplechase, as Kayla Pfund (Shelby Twp., Mich.-Lutheran North) and Anna Quilez-Ribera (Girona, Spain-University of Girona) are seeded at 11:10.58 and 11:12.16, respectively. In the 5000m run, Voronko and Pfund will run side-by-side again, joined by Anna Aldrich (Fremont, Ind.-Fremont), who will take on the heavy task of competing in both the 5000m and 10,000m for the squad.
The pair of Aaliyah McKinney (South Bend, Ind.-John Adams) and Danielle Clark (Paramaribo, Suriname-Ewald P Meyer Lyceum) leads the Eagles in sprints and also stands in the top-10 of conference rankings. McKinney appears in the top portion of MAC athletes in both the 100m and 200m, holding the eighth-fastest time in the 100m at 11.95 seconds and the seventh-best mark in the 200m at 24.26. Clark ranks just behind McKinney in the 200m after clocking a time of 24.34. The two sprinters are also one-half of the EMU 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams along with Iesha Hardiman (Santa Clara, Calif.-Adrian Wilcox) and Morgan Yeadon (Indianapolis, Ind.-Pike), who are expected to represent the team in the 400m dash as well. The relay teams have seen success throughout the 2014 campaign, trailing Akron's 4x100m team by just 0.03 seconds at 45.84. The 4x400m lineup has the third-fastest time in the conference at 3:42.75 behind only Buffalo and Western Michigan.
Representing the team in the hurdles will be the French duo of Sarah Chauchard (Montpellier, France-University of Montpellier) and Pauline Chiariglione (Ajaccio, France-University of Nice). Chauchard boasts the eighth-fastest time in the MAC in the 100m hurdles, clocking in at 14.21 to pace the Eagles, while Chiariglione is seeded not far behind at 14.69 seconds. Only one Eagle will compete in the 400m hurdles, as Chiariglione comes into the competition as the fourth-fastest competitor throughout the season at 1:00.90. Chauchard will go on to compete in the heptathlon, hoping to have similar success to her pentathlon effort during the indoor season. The Montpellier, France native broke the EMU record on three occasions, finishing with a personal-best of 4,229 at the NCAA Indoor Championships to take sixth overall and garner All-American honors. Chauchard will be joined by senior Kate Wolanin (Oxford, Mich.-Oxford) in the seven-event series, who boasts the sixth-best heptathlon score in the conference with 4,554 points. Additionally, Wolanin is one of the league's leading high jumpers after consistently clearing or nearing her personal record of 1.75 meters/5 feet 8.75-inches. Wolanin is also looking to repeat or improve on her success from the indoor season, when she finished runner-up in the high jump to earn All-MAC Second Team honors.
In the horizontal jumps, the freshman/senior pairing of Janina Pollatz (Grandville, Mich.-Grand Rapids Christian) and Tiara Oates (Rochester, Mich.-Stoney Creek) will take on a talented field in the long jump, seeded at 5.58 meters/18 feet 3.75-inches and 5.71 meters/18 feet 8.75-inches, respectively. Pollatz will join two Eagles that are ranked in the top-10 among conference opponents in the pole vault, paced by Ellie Braidic (Pandora, Ohio-Pandora-Gilboa). Braidic became just the fifth member in EMU history to clear four meters in both the indoor and outdoor pole vault, notching a career-high 4.00 meters/13 feet 1.50-inches to tie for the fifth-best performance in the MAC. Not far behind Braidic is freshman Natalie Uy (Kettering, Ohio-Fairmont), who has the eighth spot on the MAC top-10 list at 3.90 meters/12 feet 9.50-inches.
The Eagles will also see three competitors in the hammer throw, led by Lydia Gomez-Diaz (Tarragona, Spain-IES Collblanc). The Spanish product boasts the eighth-farthest throw in the MAC at 54.05 meters/177 feet 3-inches and will be joined by Adrienne Waisner (Napoleon, Ohio-Napoleon) and Reagan Briggs (Bloomdale, Ohio-Elmwood). Waisner has shown steady improvement during the course of the season, finishing with a personal-best seeding of 48.57 meters/159 feet 4.25-inches.
Head Coach Sue Parks is pleased with how the team has grown over the course of both the indoor and outdoor campaigns. "We have shown improvement throughout the season and we feel ready to put together a total team effort," commented Parks. "We need as many athletes as possible in the finals in order to be successful in this meet. We have a number of athletes sitting just outside of scoring position, and I'm confident that they will rise to the occasion. We're looking forward to the challenge."
AKRON: The University of Akron was unable to come away with a victory at last year's MAC Championships, finishing runner-up by a considerable 50 points. Ranked 31st by the USTFCCCA, the Zips return 13 top-eight finishers from the previous season, including two MAC champions and an additional two runners-up. Senior Shauniece Steele returns to defend her title in the 400m, but has not been as dominant throughout the current campaign. Steele ranks 17th in the MAC at 56.58 seconds in a competitive field. Also defending a title is Alexis Cooks, who claimed victory in the discus throw and took second in the shot put. Cooks currently sits behind Kent State's Danniel Thomas for the farthest throw of MAC competitors in the discus throw at 55.68 meters/182 feet 8-inches, but Thomas has a strong upper hand with a lead of over 12 feet on the junior. Cooks is also behind Thomas in the shot put at 15.96 meters/52 feet 4.5-inches, but holds the third spot by just under three feet to KSU's Joh'vonnie Mosley. Senior Brittany Funk will be on the hunt to overcome reigning MAC champion Brooke Pleger of Bowling Green in the hammer throw. Though Funk sits at second in the conference behind Pleger at 66.33 meters/217 feet 7-inches, her mark ranks fourth in both NCAA East Region and national rankings.
The Zips will likely see the bulk of their success in the pole vault, as five of the top-10 spots in MAC standings belong to an Akron athlete. German transfer Annika Roloff leads the conference by nearly a foot, having cleared 4.41 meters/14 feet 5.5-inches. Roloff is the returning MAC champion from the indoor conference meet and earned All-American status with a third-place finish at the NCAA Indoor Championships. Her outdoor mark is ranked second in the NCAA East Region and fourth in the nation. The second and third spots in the top-10 also belong to regionally-ranked Zips, Caroline Hasse and Ariane Beaumont-Courteau. Hasse's mark of 4.15 meters/13 feet 7.25-inches is tied for 12th in the region and is 23rd in the nation, while 2013 pole vault runner-up Courteau is ranked 18th in the NCAA East Region at 4.13 meters/13 feet 6.5-inches.
On the track, Akron will expect to see a high finish from rookie Daziah Green in the 200m, as her mark of 23.68 paces the MAC. Green is also a part of the conference-leading 4x100m relay team along with Rachel Christian, Desiree Garland, and Daniella Johnson. The four sprinters have combined for a season-best time of 45.81 seconds, edging out EMU's relay team by a slight 0.03-second margin. In the hurdles, Skyler Willis holds the second-fastest time in both the 100m and 400m hurdles at 13.66 and 58.96 seconds.
An athlete on both the track and the field, Johnson currently sits at second in the conference in the long jump at 6.08 meters/19 feet 11.50-inches. The Zips have one more athlete atop the MAC leaderboards, as freshman Weronika Gaudyn will give reigning MAC champion Dior Delophont of Kent State a hard-fought battle for the title in the triple jump. Gaudyn currently holds the top distance in the conference, bounding 12.44 meters/40 feet 9.75-inches.
BALL STATE: The Cardinals have struggled to put members of the team in the top portion of the MAC charts this season, but will look to score more points after accruing just four at last year's meet to finish 12th overall. Ball State does not return any athletes that had a top-eight placement in 2013, but will look primarily to juniors Christina Crawford and Haley Austin to provide leadership this weekend. Crawford has two top-10 marks, sitting in seventh for the 100m at 11.90 while holding the third-best distance in the long jump at 6.04 meters/19 feet 9.75 inches. Austin should be able to contribute in the high jump, as her season-best mark of 1.70 meters/5 feet 7-inches ties for the fifth-highest in the MAC.
BOWLING GREEN: Ranked 59th by the USTFCCCA, Bowling Green returns seven out of nine top-eight finishers from the previous season. Looking to defend her crown in the hammer throw is junior Brooke Pleger, who was named the Most Valuable Field Performer in 2013. Pleger's season best of 67.97 meters/223 feet is just a six-foot edge over Akron's Funk, as the two throwers are ranked second and fourth in the nation.
The Falcons have had another standout athlete emerge throughout the course of the season in redshirt-senior Jeannette Pettigrew. The sprinter finished sixth in the 100m and was part of the sixth-place 4x100m relay team at the 2013 MAC Outdoor Championships, but is coming off a championship crown in the 60m at the 2014 MAC Indoor Championships. Pettigrew currently holds the top mark in the 100m at 11.61 seconds and the second-best in the 200m with a 23.75-second finish. She is accompanied by Alicia Arnold in the top-10 of both events; the sophomore is tied for ninth in the 100m (11.96), while she boasts the fourth-fastest 200m time at 24.14 seconds.
BUFFALO: Coming into the conference meet ranked 105th by the USTFCCCA, the Bulls return 12 athletes who placed in the top-eight of the field at last year's MAC Championships. Buffalo boasts two returning MAC champions in Meghan Manley and Emma Siuciak, both of whom are slated to defend their titles. Manley took the crown in the 800m in 2:07.41 in 2013, but has not posted a time below 2:09.64 during the current season. While Manley sits at sixth in the conference with her mark, teammate Asia Henry comes into the meet as the top-ranked 800m competitor with a time of 2:08.36. Also looking to repeat her winning ways is Emma Siuciak, who won the heptathlon with a comfortable 5,388 points. The junior will also compete in the high jump, in which she took third in 2013. This season, Siuciak has the second-highest clearance in the conference at 1.80 meters/5 feet 10.75-inches, which is also tied for the 14th-best mark in the NCAA East Region and 21st in the nation.
Buffalo also boasts the top athlete in the 400m hurdles. Donna Jeanty enters the final conference meet of her career with a time of 58.07 in the event, leading the MAC by nearly 0.90 seconds. Jeanty has found herself in national rankings at 19th while tying for 10th in the region. The senior also makes up one-quarter of the MAC-leading 4x400m team along with Henry, Crystal Graham, and Camaria Long. The team is the lone MAC lineup to post a time under 3:40.00, crossing the line in a season-best 3:39.35.
The Bulls can also look to see high marks on the field from Kelly Truppo and Rachel Roberts. Truppo sits in fourth behind Akron's terrific trio of pole vaulters at 4.05 meters/13 feet 3.5-inches, while Roberts has claimed the fourth spot on the shot put top-10 list at 15.46 meters/50 feet 8.75-inches.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Chippewas return 10 competitors from 2013's top-eight, while losing just two finalists to graduation. Ranked 117th by the USTFCCCA, Central Michigan will look primarily to its track athletes for scoring opportunities. Senior Shawntoreah Turk holds command of the MAC standings in the 400m as the only conference athlete to run a sub-54-second mark (53.92). Turk is also featured in the team's 4x400m relay team, which has the fifth-fastest finish in the MAC at 3:44.53. Another member of the 4x400m relay, Bridget Doughty, is looking to improve on a fifth-place finish in the 400m hurdles. Doughty currently holds the third spot in conference rankings at 59.65 and is followed closely by Emma Fishnick in 1:01.68.
CMU has solid representation in the 10,000m with Breanne Lesnar, Krista Parks, and Kelly Schubert all in the top-10. Lesnar's time of 34:50.14 puts her in third just 0.12 seconds behind Miami's Anna Lamb, but considerably behind Ohio's Juli Accurso, who leads the conference by more than 30 seconds. The Chippewas have one more member of the team in the top-three of the conference rankings. Devene Brown sits behind nationally-ranked Danniel Thomas of Kent State and Akron's Cooks at 54.64 meters/179 feet 3-inches in the discus throw
KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes enter the MAC Championships with a formidable USTFCCCA ranking at No. 25, returning 15 athletes that placed among the top-eight at last year's meet. Kent State also boasts the returning MAC Most Valuable Performer, Dior Delophont, who won both the high jump and triple jump while taking third in the long jump behind teammates Roseanne Erickson and Ann Marie Duffus. The power trio of Delophont, Duffus, and Erickson continues to dominate the MAC standings for the current season. Delophont leads the conference in the high jump, clearing 1.84 meters/6 feet 0.50-inches, which is tied for fifth in the NCAA East Region and sixth in the nation. She also holds the second-best triple jump mark at 12.39 meters/40 feet 7.75-inches and the third-farthest javelin throw at 44.99 meters/147 feet 7-inches. Duffus paces the conference in the 100m hurdles, boasting a mark of 13.49 seconds in her attempt to improve upon a runner-up finish from last year's competition. Erickson holds command of the long jump by a considerable margin, as her leap of 6.30 meters/20 feet 8-inches is nearly one foot farther than the next competitor standing as the 11th-best mark in the region and 16th in the nation. The junior also holds the second-fastest time in the 100m at 11.64 seconds.
Kent State boasts another group of dominant athletes in the throws. Joh'vonnie Mosley and Danniel Thomas are both ranked regionally and nationally in the shot put and discus throws to lead the team and the conference. Mosley has the upper hand in the shot put, throwing 16.79 meters/55 feet 1-inch over Thomas's 16.33-meter 53-foot-7-inch launch for the 1-2 finish in MAC standings. In the NCAA East Region, Mosley holds the seventh spot while Thomas is in 11th, and the two athletes rank 12th and 18th in the nation, respectively. Thomas leads not only the MAC, but also the region, in the discus throw. With a distance of 59.38 meters/194 feet 10-inches, Thomas sits only behind Texas A&M's Shelbi Vaughan in national rankings by less than five feet. Mosley is also a fierce competitor in the event, ranking fourth in the MAC and 15th in the region at 52.48 meters/172 feet 2-inches.
MIAMI: The RedHawks enter the MAC Championships ranked 88th by the USTFCCCA. Miami returns seven out of 12 top-eight competitors, but lost two key team members to graduation. Diona Graves was the champion in the 100m and 200m and contributed to the winning 4x100m and 4x400m relays, while the MAC Most Outstanding Track Performer Layne Baggett claimed victories in the 100m hurdles and 4x100m relay. With the departure of vital members of the relay teams, the 4x100m has dropped out of the top-ranked conference teams while the 4x400m sits at sixth in 3:46.01.
Junior Anna Lamb returns with hopes of making an impact at the distance events. Last season, Lamb won the 10,000m run and took second in the 5000m. This year, Lamb holds the second-best time in the conference in the 10k at 34:50.02, more than 30 seconds behind conference leader Juli Accurso of Ohio. Her time of 16:46.32 in the 5000m also puts her in the top-10 in MAC rankings, but the junior has fallen to sixth in the conference. The RedHawks will also look to Tori Paterra and Erica Mudd to score in the javelin throw and heptathlon. Paterra finished third at last year's MAC Championships in the javelin throw, but has since improved her mark by two meters to lead the MAC at 52.52 meters/172 feet 4-inches. Mudd will be capping off her senior season with an effort in the heptathlon, in which she is currently tied for third after amassing 4,829 points.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS: The Huskies return five members of the team that finished in the top-eight at the 2013 MAC Championships and are ranked 164th by the USTFCCCA. Most of NIU's top competitors perform on the track, but the Huskies have one field athlete ranked in the NCAA West Region in Claudette Day. The freshman high jumper is ranked third in the MAC at 1.78 meters/5 feet 10-inches, which also puts her in a tie for fifteenth in the region. Day will also be making her rookie debut in the heptathlon, in which she is tied for third with 4,829 points.
On the track, the Huskies will look to Meghan Heuer, Latesha Bigby, and Ali Olson to score efficiently. Heuer holds the second-fastest time in the 800m, trailing Buffalo's Henry by .22 seconds at 2:08.54. In the 100m hurdles, Bigby is one of four athletes to run a sub-14-second mark. The junior holds the third spot at 13.75 seconds. Olson rounds out the group of promising tracksters as the team's contender in the steeplechase. The freshman has the fourth-fastest time in the conference, clocking in at 10:42.07.
OHIO: Ohio University returns six of seven top-eight finishers from the previous conference meet, including defending MAC champion in the 5000m, Juli Accurso. The senior holds a commanding lead over the conference in both the 5000m and 10,000m, clocking in at 15:59.12 and 34:18.42, respectively. Her mark in the 5000m makes her the only MAC competitor to run the distance in under 16 minutes, and is ranked 14th in the NCAA East Region and 29th in the nation. In the mid-distance 1500m run, Melissa Thompson has the third-best mark in the MAC at 4:26.08, and will be looking for a victory after finishing second at last year's meet. The Bobcats also boast Chanda Cuckler, who holds the top heptathlon score for the year at 5,005 points. Cuckler took fourth in 2013 and will also look to compete in the high jump as her mark of 1.70 meters/5 feet 7-inches puts her in a tie for fifth in the MAC.
TOLEDO: The Rockets return seven members from last year's top-eight finishers, and will look to score primarily in the distance events on the track. Mackenzie Chojnacky enters the meet as the second-ranked 5000m competitor behind Ohio's Accurso at 16:15.35, but could appear alongside Liz Weiler in the 3000m steeplechase. Weiler holds the second spot on the MAC top-10 list behind EMU's Voronko at 10:26.45, while Chojnacky has a season-best seeding of 10:26.89. Toledo has had success in the 10,000m as well, going 2-3 in 2013 behind Brooke Tullis and Devyn Ramsay. Tullis currently holds the fourth-best time in the conference in the event at 34:53.94, as two other Rockets appear in the top-10. Megan Vogelsong is in sixth at 35:17.99, while Priscilla Timmons holds the ninth spot at 35:54.09.
WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos are currently ranked 174th by the USTFCCCA and return seven athletes from 2013's top-eight finishes. Senior Aisha Hodge will aim to improve upon her runner-up finish in the 800m, currently boasting the conference's third-fastest time at 2:08.87. Another contender on the track looking to improve after finishing second is Andrea Arnold. Her time of 54.55 ranks second in the MAC, and the senior is also a staple of both the 4x100m and 4x400m relay teams. The 4x400m relay holds the second-fastest time in the conference at 3:40.43, while the 4x100m relay falls just behind EMU's lineup for third in 45.86 seconds. WMU also has heptathlete Kathryn Pickett to score in the multi events. Pickett's score of 4,976 points puts her at second in the conference, as she is yet another Bronco in search of improving from a 2013 runner-up finish. To round out the star performers, Western Michigan has a solid thrower in Andrea Hiler. The senior ranks fifth in the conference in both the shot put (15.29m/50-02.00) and discus throw (51.88m/170-02), as well as ninth in the hammer throw (53.98m/177-01). Additionally, her mark in the competitive field for the discus throw ranks 18th in the NCAA East Region.
The MAC Championships will begin Thursday, May 15, at 10:30 a.m. with the hammer throw. The heptathlon, pole vault, and javelin will be run during the afternoon, while competition for the day will conclude with the 10,000m run at 8:15 p.m. For more information, visit mac-sports.com.
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