Eastern Michigan Athletics
Women's Track and Field Announces Captains for 2019-20 Season
12/9/2019 2:31:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
Five student-athletes were selected by team members and coaches
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University women's track and field head coach Sue Parks announced redshirt senior Emily Smith (Somerset, England-Wells Cathedral School), seniors Brittni Mason (Richmond Heights, Ohio-West Geauga), Micah Johnston (Toledo, Ohio-Toledo Christian), Gianna Salzbrunn (North Aurora, Ill.-Montini Catholic), and junior Kadian Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica-Immaculate Conception) were selected as team captains for the 2019-20 season, Monday, Dec. 9. All five student-athletes earned the nod for the first time.
"This is a brand new group of captains for us and I feel that they will bring a lot of enthusiasm and motivation to the team," said Parks. "These five athletes are hard workers and tough competitors and they know what it means to compete for a MAC championship. I believe that they will expect the best out of themselves and their teammates. I'm excited for their leadership as we work towards having a successful track season in 2020."
Smith represented the Eagles at the 2019 NCAA East Regional Championships, May 23-25, where she set a personal-best in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:20.80. She also competed at the 2019 Mid-American Conference Championships, May 9-11, ranking seventh in the 3000m steeplechase at 10:45.89 and 10th in the 5000m with a time of 17:20.20. Smith is coming off a successful cross country season, earning Second-Team All-MAC accolades for the second straight year as the Green and White captured their fifth consecutive MAC championship.
A two-time Academic All-MAC honoree, Mason returns to EMU after competing at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 7-15. She won the gold medal in the 100m T47 dash with a world-record time of 11.89 seconds, before finishing fourth in the 200m T47 finals with a time of 25.15. Mason and fellow co-captain Johnston were part of the 4x100-meter relay team that set a school record with a time of 44.65 at the NCAA East Regional Championships, May 23-25. The pair also combined to win the 4x100 relay at the MAC Championships, May 9-11, clocking in at 45.04 to gain First Team All-MAC honors.
In addition to competing in the 4x100 relay, Johnston claimed 42nd place in the preliminary 400m rounds with a time of 55.16 seconds at the NCAA East Regional Championships, May 23-25. Johnston also achieved Second-Team All-MAC honors after finishing runner-up in the 400m with a time of 53.55 at the MAC Championships, May 9-11. During the indoor conference title meet, Feb. 22-23, Johnston placed third in the 400m with a career-best time of 53.70 and seventh in the 200m with a mark of 24.41.
Salzbrunn has garnered Academic All-MAC honors in each of the last two seasons. She finished ninth in the heptathlon competition with a total of 4,286 points and 10th in the javelin throw with a mark of 38.48m at the MAC Championships, May 9-11. Salzbrunn earned her top finish of the year at the Wolverine Invitational, Jan. 12, earning a silver medal in the long jump with a leap of 5.44m.
Clarke started the 2019-20 campaign by setting an indoor program record in the weight throw with a 19.06m heave at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. The Kingston, Jamaica native also has the second-best shot put mark in program history, as he placed 10th with a throw of 13.91m at the MAC Championships, May 9-11, Additionally, Clarke finished seventh in the indoor weight throw and 15th in the shot put with marks of 18.62m and 12.88m, respectively, at the MAC Championships, Feb. 22-23.
Eastern will have a long break from competition through the new year, as they resume indoor competition with a short trip to Ann Arbor to compete in the Wolverine Invitational, hosted by the University of Michigan, Jan. 11, 2020.
"This is a brand new group of captains for us and I feel that they will bring a lot of enthusiasm and motivation to the team," said Parks. "These five athletes are hard workers and tough competitors and they know what it means to compete for a MAC championship. I believe that they will expect the best out of themselves and their teammates. I'm excited for their leadership as we work towards having a successful track season in 2020."
Smith represented the Eagles at the 2019 NCAA East Regional Championships, May 23-25, where she set a personal-best in the 3000m steeplechase with a time of 10:20.80. She also competed at the 2019 Mid-American Conference Championships, May 9-11, ranking seventh in the 3000m steeplechase at 10:45.89 and 10th in the 5000m with a time of 17:20.20. Smith is coming off a successful cross country season, earning Second-Team All-MAC accolades for the second straight year as the Green and White captured their fifth consecutive MAC championship.
A two-time Academic All-MAC honoree, Mason returns to EMU after competing at the 2019 World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 7-15. She won the gold medal in the 100m T47 dash with a world-record time of 11.89 seconds, before finishing fourth in the 200m T47 finals with a time of 25.15. Mason and fellow co-captain Johnston were part of the 4x100-meter relay team that set a school record with a time of 44.65 at the NCAA East Regional Championships, May 23-25. The pair also combined to win the 4x100 relay at the MAC Championships, May 9-11, clocking in at 45.04 to gain First Team All-MAC honors.
In addition to competing in the 4x100 relay, Johnston claimed 42nd place in the preliminary 400m rounds with a time of 55.16 seconds at the NCAA East Regional Championships, May 23-25. Johnston also achieved Second-Team All-MAC honors after finishing runner-up in the 400m with a time of 53.55 at the MAC Championships, May 9-11. During the indoor conference title meet, Feb. 22-23, Johnston placed third in the 400m with a career-best time of 53.70 and seventh in the 200m with a mark of 24.41.
Salzbrunn has garnered Academic All-MAC honors in each of the last two seasons. She finished ninth in the heptathlon competition with a total of 4,286 points and 10th in the javelin throw with a mark of 38.48m at the MAC Championships, May 9-11. Salzbrunn earned her top finish of the year at the Wolverine Invitational, Jan. 12, earning a silver medal in the long jump with a leap of 5.44m.
Clarke started the 2019-20 campaign by setting an indoor program record in the weight throw with a 19.06m heave at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. The Kingston, Jamaica native also has the second-best shot put mark in program history, as he placed 10th with a throw of 13.91m at the MAC Championships, May 9-11, Additionally, Clarke finished seventh in the indoor weight throw and 15th in the shot put with marks of 18.62m and 12.88m, respectively, at the MAC Championships, Feb. 22-23.
Eastern will have a long break from competition through the new year, as they resume indoor competition with a short trip to Ann Arbor to compete in the Wolverine Invitational, hosted by the University of Michigan, Jan. 11, 2020.
Players Mentioned
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Sprints
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Sprints
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