Eastern Michigan Athletics
No. 8 Story of 2013-14: Victoria Voronko Breaks Four Individual EMU Records
7/10/2014 10:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field, General
Most recently, Voronko repeated as the 3000m steeplechase champion at the Mid-American Championships
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- For the first time ever, Eastern Michigan University Athletics will be counting down the top stories of the 2013-14 athletic year. The list is being released one at a time throughout the summer, ending with the No. 1 story of the year July 21, 2014.
No. 9: Voronko Breaks Four Individual EMU Records in 2013-14 Campaign
Victoria Voronko has been having a phenomenal season and broke school records in five events between the indoor and outdoor women's track and field campaigns, additionally being named the 2014 Mid-American Conference Indoor and Outdoor Championships' Most Valuable Performer.
On the indoor track, Voronko broke the 5000m record with a win at the Findlay Classic, Jan. 24. She won by a margin of over two minutes, clocking in at 16:32.44. Two weeks later, she busted open the 25-year-old mile record in 4:39.84 at the Meyo Invitational, Feb. 8. On pace with her record-breaking season, the junior then broke her own EMU record in the 3000m at the SPIRE Invitational, Feb. 15, in 9:13.24. The final event to etch Voronko's names into EMU laurels during the outdoor campaign was at the 2014 MAC Outdoor Championships, when she was the anchor on the winning distance medley relay team, which finished in an EMU and MAC-record time of 11:29.96.
During the outdoor season, the Russian native paced 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.
Most recently, Voronko became the two-time 3000m steeplechase outdoor MAC champion, sending her to the 2014 NCAA Regional Championships. At the 2014 regionals, Voronk kept pace with Michigan State's Leah O'Connor, who holds the third-best time in the nation for the majority of the first heat along with Iona's Maya Rehberg. As O'Connor broke away from the pack going into the final kilometer, Rehberg and Voronko continued to stay in the top three and earn their spots at the NCAA Championships. The Russian native finished the race in 10:04.89, breaking her own EMU record previously set when she won her second consecutive MAC championship title, May 16. (FOR FULL RELEASE CLICK HERE)
Countdown of the Top Stories of 2013-14:
8. Victoria Voronko Breaks Four Individual EMU Records
9. Women's Basketball Upsets Central Michigan on Senior Day
10. Derek DelPorto Becomes Winningest Coach in EMU Wrestling History
11. Women's Tennis Makes MAC Tournament Run
12. Women's Basketball Produces One of the Nation's Largest Turnarounds
13. Wrestling Sends Four Grapplers to NCAA Championships
14. Gymnastics Earns Highest Score in 10 Years
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