Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Track and Field Selects Team Captains
1/13/2016 11:28:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
The Eagles will be led by a trio of seniors and one junior
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University women's track and field team named their team captains today, Jan. 13. This season, the Green and White will be led by redshirt senior Reagan Briggs (Bloomdale, Ohio - Elmwood), seniors Sofie Gallein (Gits, Belgium - University of Leuven) and Aaliyah McKinney (South Bend, Ind. - John Adams), and junior Natalie Uy (Kettering, Ohio - Fairmont).
Briggs brings with her a wealth of experience from her previous four seasons with the team, in addition to being a captain last year. After redshirting her freshman year, the Bloomdale, Ohio native became a regular contributor for the Eagles. As a redshirt sophomore in the 2013-14 campaign, Briggs nabbed second in the hammer throw at the Spartan Invite with a toss of 44.37 meters / 145 feet 7-inches. Last year, she participated in a total of nine meets throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons. In the weight throw, Briggs set a career record at the Notre Dame Invite with a mark of 13.19 meters / 43 feet 3-inches. She also set a career best in the javelin throw with a mark of 28.29 meters / 92 feet 19-inches, which was set at the Toledo Invite.
Although Gallein only arrived at EMU for her junior and senior seasons, the Gits, Belgium native has already made her mark in the Eastern record books. During her junior season, Gallein won the 3000m in her EMU debut, running the sixth-fastest mark in program history at 9:35.29. She also nabbed the seventh-fastest mile time in Eagle history, posting a time of 4:48.92. In the outdoor season, Gallein also ran the second fastest 3000m steeplechase time in program history, which was set at the NCAA East Regional. There, she crossed the finish line in 9:52.66, being only the second Eagle to accomplish the feat.
McKinney has also had a storied EMU career thus far, as she has been a mainstay in the sprinters throughout her career. As a freshman, she competed in 11 total meets throughout the season, before erupting as a sophomore and taking home All-Mid-American Conference Second Team honors during the indoor season, and First Team honors in the outdoor season. That year, she set career bests in both the 100m and 200m at the outdoor MAC Championships, posting times of 11.79 and 23.71, taking home the title in both events. This past season, she bested her 100m career best at the MAC Championships yet again, narrowly beating her old time and crossing the finish in 11.78. Finally, McKinney ran on the 4x400m relay team twice, which included the fastest lineup of the season for the team that finished in 3:44.27 at the Meyo Invitational. Additionally, she was part of the lineup that clinched EMU's fourth MAC Championship title in program history at the 2015 MAC Championships.
Rounding out the 2016 captains, Uy has been a solid multis contributor for the Green and White throughout her career. The Kettering, Ohio native participated in eight indoor meets and seven outdoor contests as a freshman in the 2013-14 season. During her sophomore campaign last year, Uy set a personal best in the pole vault at 4.04 meters/ 13 feet 3-inches, which is the fifth-best indoor pole vault mark in program history. She continued her success in the outdoor season as well, setting another personal record, and tying for the fourth best outdoor pole vault mark in EMU history. To conclude her season, Uy nabbed runner-up honors in the pole vault at the outdoor MAC Championships, earning her Second Team All-MAC honors.
The Eagles continue their season this Friday, Jan. 15, at the Eubanks Open.
Briggs brings with her a wealth of experience from her previous four seasons with the team, in addition to being a captain last year. After redshirting her freshman year, the Bloomdale, Ohio native became a regular contributor for the Eagles. As a redshirt sophomore in the 2013-14 campaign, Briggs nabbed second in the hammer throw at the Spartan Invite with a toss of 44.37 meters / 145 feet 7-inches. Last year, she participated in a total of nine meets throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons. In the weight throw, Briggs set a career record at the Notre Dame Invite with a mark of 13.19 meters / 43 feet 3-inches. She also set a career best in the javelin throw with a mark of 28.29 meters / 92 feet 19-inches, which was set at the Toledo Invite.
Although Gallein only arrived at EMU for her junior and senior seasons, the Gits, Belgium native has already made her mark in the Eastern record books. During her junior season, Gallein won the 3000m in her EMU debut, running the sixth-fastest mark in program history at 9:35.29. She also nabbed the seventh-fastest mile time in Eagle history, posting a time of 4:48.92. In the outdoor season, Gallein also ran the second fastest 3000m steeplechase time in program history, which was set at the NCAA East Regional. There, she crossed the finish line in 9:52.66, being only the second Eagle to accomplish the feat.
McKinney has also had a storied EMU career thus far, as she has been a mainstay in the sprinters throughout her career. As a freshman, she competed in 11 total meets throughout the season, before erupting as a sophomore and taking home All-Mid-American Conference Second Team honors during the indoor season, and First Team honors in the outdoor season. That year, she set career bests in both the 100m and 200m at the outdoor MAC Championships, posting times of 11.79 and 23.71, taking home the title in both events. This past season, she bested her 100m career best at the MAC Championships yet again, narrowly beating her old time and crossing the finish in 11.78. Finally, McKinney ran on the 4x400m relay team twice, which included the fastest lineup of the season for the team that finished in 3:44.27 at the Meyo Invitational. Additionally, she was part of the lineup that clinched EMU's fourth MAC Championship title in program history at the 2015 MAC Championships.
Rounding out the 2016 captains, Uy has been a solid multis contributor for the Green and White throughout her career. The Kettering, Ohio native participated in eight indoor meets and seven outdoor contests as a freshman in the 2013-14 season. During her sophomore campaign last year, Uy set a personal best in the pole vault at 4.04 meters/ 13 feet 3-inches, which is the fifth-best indoor pole vault mark in program history. She continued her success in the outdoor season as well, setting another personal record, and tying for the fourth best outdoor pole vault mark in EMU history. To conclude her season, Uy nabbed runner-up honors in the pole vault at the outdoor MAC Championships, earning her Second Team All-MAC honors.
The Eagles continue their season this Friday, Jan. 15, at the Eubanks Open.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis/Pole Vault
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