Eagles Wrap Up Packed Few Days of Competition in Iowa and Michigan

Drake Relays Complete Results
Gina Relays Complete Results

DES MOINES, Iowa / Hillsdale, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team wrapped up a packed few days of competition in Des Moines, Iowa and Hillsdale, Mich. today, April 30. The Green and White saw a pair of top-10 all-time performances on the day in the 400m hurdles and the discus throw. As a team, the Eagles finished in 10th with 9 points at the prestigious Drake Relays.

The Eagles nabbed their first medal of the day in the 3000m steeplechase, where redshirt junior Willy Fink (Maumee, Ohio – Maumee) took home the silver with a time of 8:54.38. Also running in the race was sophomore Csaba Matko (Racalmas, Hungary - Szechenyi Istvan Gimnazium), who clocked in at 9:29.55 to take 16^th. After qualifying a pair of relay teams to the finals, both groups improved upon their day one standing. The 4x100m group of sophomore Brandon Bolden (Solon, Ohio – Solon), freshman Aitor Ekobo (Jose Luis Lopez Aranguren Secondary School), senior Jeff Elam (Latrobe, Pa. – Greater Latrobe Senior), and junior Tyler Brown (Findlay, Ohio – Findlay) finished fifth with a time of 40.75 after taking sixth in the prelims. Additionally, the 4x400m team of Elam, seniors Matthew Williams (Moreno Valley, Calif. – Vista Del Lago) and Mason Waynes (Kenosha, Wis. – Bradford), and Brown nabbed fourth in 3:10.22 after placing eighth in the prelims.

EMU also took part in the distance medley relay, where redshirt sophomore Mitch Lenneman (River Falls, Wis. – River Falls), Williams, and redshirt sophomores Nick Raymond (Erie, Mich. – Mason) and Hlynur Andresson (Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland - Mountain Ridge) placed 11^th with a time of 9:56.45. The highlight of the day came in the 400m hurdles, however, where Elam had a performance for the record books. Taking home the gold after posting a time of 51.04, which was a personal-best by nearly half a second, the senior exploded into fourth all-time in the EMU record books. Rounding out the Eagles at the Drake Relays was redshirt senior Keith Williams (Sherman, Ill. – Williamsville) and redshirt junior Anthony Jones (Findlay, Ohio – Findlay) in the hammer throw. Williams edged out Jones, taking 13^th with a mark of 56.11 meters/ 184 feet 1-inch, while Jones nabbed 17^th with a throw of 54.29 meters/ 178 feet 1-inch.

The Green and White completed the Gina Relays as well, beginning with the 400m dash championship. Redshirt senior Solomon Simmons (Murrieta, Calif. – Murrieta Valley) took part in the race, placing ninth with a time of 50.52. Simmons also competed in the 110m hurdles championship, earning the bronze medal in 14.79

A trio of Eagles participated in the triple jump, with freshman Micah Peters (York, Ontario – Vaughn Road Academy) leading the way by taking second with a mark of 14.19 meters/ 46 feet 6.75-inches. Fellow freshman Jordan Fowler was just behind him, nabbing the bronze with a personal-best jump of 14.05 meters/ 46 feet 1.25-inches. Fellow freshman Alex Jacobs (Dublin, Ohio – Dublin Jerome) was the lone EMU competitor in the pole vault, where he finished 14^th with a vault of 4.05 meters/ 13 feet 3.5-inches. Jacobs also took part in the javelin, also placing 14^th after throwing 37.62 meters/ 123 feet 5-inches.

The final event on the day was the discus, where the Eagles earned another silver. Freshman Zach Harkey (Huron, Ohio – Huron) led the way, taking second after posting a mark of 49.71 meters/ 163 feet 1-inch. His throw was also the seventh-best in EMU history. Also taking home a top-10 finish was sophomore Mike Hierholzer (Medina, Ohio – Medina), who took eighth with a throw of 46.65 meters/ 153 feet 1-inch.

This concludes the regular season for the Eagles, as their next meet on the slate is the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships, May 12-14.

EMU Individual Results (* denotes a personal best)
Event Mark
Drake Relays
3000m Steeplechase
2. Willy Fink 8:54.38
16. Csaba Matko 9:29.55

4x100m Relay Finals
5. Bolden, Ekobo 40.75
Elam, Brown

4x400m Relay Finals
4. Elam, Williams 3:10.22
Waynes, Brown

Distance Medley Relay
11. Lenneman, Williams 9:56.45
Raymond, Andresson

400m Hurdles
1. Jeff Elam 51.04*

Hammer Throw
13. Keith Williams 56.11m/ 184-01
17. Anthony Jones 54.29m/ 178-01

Gina Relays
400m Dash Championship
9. Solomon Simmons 50.52

110m Hurdles Championship
3. Solomon Simmons 14.79

Triple Jump
2. Micah Peters 14.19m/ 46-06.75
3. Jordan Fowler 14.05m/ 46-01.25*
4. Nicholas Herbert 13.66m/ 44-09.75

Pole Vault
14. Alex Jacobs 4.05m/ 13-03.50*

Javelin Throw
14. Alex Jacobs 37.62m/ 123-05

Discus Throw
2. Zach Harkey 49.71m/ 163-01*
8. Mike Hierholzer 46.65m/ 153-01
10. Austin Hazek 43.04m/ 141-02*
19. Solomon Simmons 37.44m/ 122-10
26. Alex Jacobs 32.24m/ 105-09*

Eagles Wrap Up Packed Few Days of Competition in Iowa and Michigan

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Players Mentioned

Hlynur Andresson

Brandon Bolden

Tyler Brown

Aitor Ekobo

Jeff Elam

Willy Fink

Jordan Fowler

Zach Harkey

Austin Hazek

Nick Herbert

Mike Hierholzer

Alex Jacobs

Anthony Jones

Mitch Lenneman

Csaba Matko

Micah Peters

Nick Raymond

Solomon Simmons

Mason Waynes

Keith Williams

Matthew Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics