Eagles Sit in Third After First Two Events

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MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com)—At the end of the first day of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Eastern Michigan University's men's track and field team currently sits behind Miami and Akron's 24-point days after the first two complete events. Eastern amassed 16 events on day one of action, and is trailed by Central Michigan (7), Buffalo (4), and Kent State (3).

In the first session of the day, the decathlon duo of Solomon Ijah (Murrieta, Calif.-Murrieta Valley) and Levi Selvig (Flushing, Mich.-Flushing Community) hold the top two spots at the conclusion of the first five events. Ijah holds a solid lead with 4,075 points while Selvig has nearly an 80-point advantage over Akron's Quentin Cieslinski with 3,648 points. The pair started off the day with a bang, going 1-2 in the 100m dash with personal records for both athletes. Ijah won the event in 10.60 seconds while Selvig clocked an 11.17. Going into the long jump, the two stayed near the top of the pack as Ijah claimed second in 6.74 meters/22 feet 1.50-inches and Selvig took third with a mark of 6.62 meters/21 feet 8.75-inches. Ijah picked up another event win in the shot put, throwing a personal-best 15.04 meters/49 feet 4.25-inches, and Selvig also notched a career mark of 11.40 meters/37 feet 5-inches to finish fourth. The high jump saw a third personal record for Selvig, who cleared 1.97 meters/6 feet 5.50-inches to finish second in the event, nearly three inches of improvement, and Ijah matched his outdoor best of 1.91 meters/6 feet 3.25-inches to place fifth. The two Eagles closed out the day similar to how they started it, garnering a 1-2 finish in the 400m dash. Ijah notched his third personal record of the day in 49.14 seconds to win and was followed by Selvig in 51.33 seconds. The pair will conclude their remaining five events tomorrow, beginning with the 110m hurdles at 11 a.m.

Ijah's day was not done with the first half of his decathlon, as he immediately went on to pace the Green and White in the javelin throw. The redshirt-junior finished sixth overall with a launch of 58.89 meters/193 feet 2-inches, while freshman Elijah Albert-Grayer (Canton, Mich.-Salem) reached the podium with a throw of 50.80 meters/166 feet 8-inches to finish eighth.

Capping off the day, the trio of Willy Fink (Maumee, Ohio-Maumee), Warren Witchell (Williamston, Mich.-Dansville), and John Knox (Gloversville, N.Y.-Gloversville) competed in the 10,000m run. The three took off to lead the pack early off before Fink and Witchell pulled away with a pair of Miami and Akron harriers. Fink and Miami's Joe Stewart battled back and forth for the lead before Stewart took off and never looked back, with Fink finishing runner-up in a personal-best 30:10.75. Witchell secured the fifth spot in 30:36.05, and Knox just missed out on the podium, placing ninth in 31:24.50.

The Eagles will continue with the second day of the MAC Championships tomorrow, May 15. The first track event will be the 110m hurdles trials at 1:20 p.m., while the first event on the field will be the hammer throw at 10 a.m. Live results will be provided through finishtiming.com.

EMU Individual Results (* signifies a personal record)

	Mark	Points
Decathlon 100m
1. Ijah, Solomon	10.60*	952
2. Selvig, Levi	11.17*	823

Decathlon Long Jump
2. Ijah, Solomon	6.74m/22-01.50	753
3. Selvig, Levi	6.62m/21-08.75	725

Decathlon Shot Put
1. Ijah, Solomon	15.04m/49-04.25*	792
4. Selvig, Levi	11.40m/37-05.00*	570

Decathlon High Jump
2. Selvig, Levi	1.97m/6-05.50*	776
3. Ijah, Solomon	1.91m/6-03.25	723

Decathlon 400m
1. Ijah, Solomon	49.14*	855
2. Selvig, Levi	51.33	754

Javelin Throw
6. Ijah, Solomon	58.89m/193-02
8. Albert-Grayer, Elijah	50.80m/166-08

10,000m Run
2. Fink, Willy	30:10.75*
5. Witchell, Warren	30:36.05
9. Knox, John	31:24.50

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Players Mentioned

Elijah Albert-Grayer

Willy Fink

John Knox

Levi Selvig

Solomon Simmons

Warren Witchell

Eastern Michigan Athletics