Eagles Round Out Weekend with Trio of Event Titles

Complete Spartan Invitational Results.

Complete Hillsdale Invitational Results.

EAST LANSING, Mich. & HILLSDALE, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team finished out its weekend Saturday, April 7, with nine top-three finishes and two event titles in the Spartan Invitational in East Lansing, Mich., while also bringing home the pole vault title in the Hillsdale Invitational in Hillsdale, Mich.

EMU had a representative finish in the top-three in all-but-one event in the Spartan Invite, with junior Elijah Barber (Columbus, Ohio-Eastmoor Academy) and sophomore Sean Beckom (Saginaw, Mich.-Heritage) taking home Eastern's two gold medals. Barber raced to a time of 56.24 in the 400H to place first, while Beckom followed with an impressive 100m dash time of 10.97 to also stand atop the podium.

The meet in East Lansing also saw two student-athletes earn personal-records. Freshman Charles Hilsenbeck (Temperance, Mich.-Temperance Bedford) had a solid performance in the 400m dash, leading the Eagles with a personal-best time of 50.05 and taking second in the event. Junior Frank Douglas (Mansfield, Ohio-Madison Comprehensive) was the other Eagle to post a career-best, surpassing his old PR of 58.79 with a time of 57.04 in the 400m hurdles, placing third.

In the field events, junior Cameron Hart (Columbus, Ohio-Bishop Hartley), redshirt junior Zach Purcilly (Troy, Mich.-Avondale), and redshirt sophomore Taige Bryant (Edmond, Okla.-Edmond Memorial) each notched second place in their respective events, with Hart clearing 1.99m in the high jump, Purcilly throwing to a distance of 16.32m in the shot put, and Bryant marking 49.00m in the discus.

The Hillsdale Invitational saw the Eagles capture two of the three top places in pole vault, with sophomore Colin Etchen (Edgerton, Ohio-Edgerton) and junior Alex Jacobs (Dublin, Ohio-Dublin Jerome) placing first and third, respectively. Additionally, freshman Gregory Potter (York, Pa.-Red Lion) marked a new PR with a vault of 4.05m.

The Eagles have a short break before competing in the Tennessee Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., which will span from Thursday-Saturday, April 12-14.

EMU Individual Results (* Denotes personal-record)

Spartan Invitational
100m Dash
1. Sean Beckom                10.97
Kevin Smith                        DNS

400m Dash
2. Charles Hilsenbeck 50.05*
8. Tom Jozwiak                  51.95
9. Hayelom Fitsum 52.02
12. Roderic Wilson 52.95
17. Dakota Medley 54.45
Dan Kuhn                            DQ

110m Hurdles
3. Ivan Suazo 14.88
5. Frank Douglas               14.98
6. Skyler Lester                 15.82
9. Corey Hamilton 16.40
Ryan Long DNS

400m Hurdles
1. Elijah Barber                  56.24
3. Frank Douglas               57.04*
4. Charles Calhoun           58.02
7. Trevor Marcus              1:03.27

High Jump
2. Cameron Hart               1.99
4. Skyler Lester                 1.94
6. Travis McCuaig             1.94
Ryan Long DNS

Discus Throw
2. Taige Bryant                  49.00
5. Jannik Schmitt 45.58
6. Mike Hierholzer 44.35
7. Zach Harkey                  44.21
15. Drew Lament 32.02

Javelin Throw
9. Drew Lament 39.15
Taige Bryant                       DNS
Derek Ziegenfuss DNS

Shot Put
2. Zach Purcilly                 16.32
3. Jannik Schmitt 16.31
6. Mike Hierholzer 14.87
12. Drew Lament 10.69
Skyler Lester                      DNS

Hillsdale Invitational
Pole Vault
1. Colin Etchen 4.80
3. Alex Jacobs                    4.35
6. Gregory Potter 4.05*
Alex Babits     NH
Zach Kubicki NH

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alex Babits

Elijah Barber

Sean Beckom II

Taige Bryant

Charles Calhoun

Frank Douglas

Colin Etchen

Hayelom Fitsum

Corey Hamilton

Zach Harkey

Cameron Hart

Mike Hierholzer

Charles Hilsenbeck

Alex Jacobs

Tom Jozwiak

Zach Kubicki

Dan Kuhn

Drew Lament

Skyler Lester

Ryan Long

Trevor Marcus

Travis McCuaig

Dakota Medley

Gregory Potter

Zach Purcilly

Jannik Schmitt

Kevin Smith

Ivan Suazo

Roderic Wilson

Derek Ziegenfuss

Eastern Michigan Athletics