Eastern Michigan Athletics
Track & Field Program Announces 2020-21 Team Captains
12/14/2020 10:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Nine student-athletes earn captain roles
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Eastern Michigan University Director/Head Coach of Cross Country and Track & Field Sue Parks announced the captains for the upcoming 2020-21 track & field season.
"We have high goals for the track season and I'm excited for the student-athletes who have been chosen to lead us" said Coach Parks. "This is a large group but this is also an unusual year and I feel that these athletes will help bring the team together in our first year as a combined program. I'm looking forward to their leadership as we get ready to compete in 2021."
EMU's women will be led by senior Kadian Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica-Immaculate Conception), Micah Johnston (Toledo, Ohio-Toledo Christian), graduate student Brittni Mason (Richmond Heights, Ohio-West Geauga), graduate student Gianna Salzbrunn (North Aurora, Ill.-Montini Catholic), and junior Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View-N.C. State) as the team looks to defend its Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship title in 2021.
Meanwhile, the men will be guided by graduate student Taige Bryant (Edmond, Okla.-Edmond Memorial), senior Skyler Lester (Marietta, Ga.-Marietta), junior Payne Wylie (Elstow, Saskatchewan-Colonsay School), and redshirt sophomore Eddie Zuercher (Rocky River, Ohio-Rocky River). Last season, the men's team finished runner-up at the MAC Indoor Championships and won six individual titles.
Named an All-Academic Athlete by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Clarke competed in eight meets for the Eagles during the 2019-20 indoor season. She set the Eastern Michigan school record in the indoor weight throw with a mark of 19.37 meters at the conference meet, Feb. 28-29, which was good for fourth overall.
Johnston returns as a captain after missing time last season. She was a member of the Eagles' 4x100-meter relay team that set the EMU school record at the 2019 NCAA East Regional Championships on May 23-25, as it crossed finish line in 44.65 seconds. Johnston earned First and Second Team All-MAC honors with two podium finishes at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships, finishing second in the 400m with a time of 53.55 which tied the seventh-best mark in program history, while also running a leg of the Eagles' championship 4x100 relay that finished in 45.04.
Mason garnered Academic All-MAC honors for the third-straight season last year during the indoor portion of the schedule. She earned Second Team All-MAC accolades after finishing second in the 60m dash at the MAC Indoor Championships with a time of 7.52, Feb. 28-29. She was also part of the Eagles' record-setting 4x100 meter relay team and currently holds the world record in the 100m (11.89) in the T46/T47 Paralympic classification.
An Academic All-MAC selection for the third time, Salzbrunn competed in seven meets for the Eagles last season, including the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships on Feb. 28-29, where she finished ninth in the Pentathlon with a total score of 3,417 points. The North Aurora, Ill. product finished fifth at the MAC Indoor Championships in the Pentathlon (3,427), Feb. 22-23, 2019 and ninth at the MAC Outdoor Championship in the Heptathlon (4,286), May 9-11.
In her first season at Eastern, Hall competed at six meets for the Eagles, including finishing sixth in the 800m run at the conference meet with a time of 2:12.19, Feb. 28-29. A native of Fayetteville, N.C., she set a personal best in the mile at the Music City Challenge with a time of 4:55.92, Feb. 15. Hall also came in fourth place in the 800m run with a personal-best time of 2:10.92 at the Meyo Invitational, Feb. 7-8.
Bryant wrapped up the 2019-2020 season placing third at the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in the weight throw with a toss of 20.60 meters, Feb. 28-29. The Oklahoma native had a stellar season, posting top-three finishes in six-of-nine events. At the Silverston Invitational, Bryant recorded a career-best throw with a heave of 21.29 meters, Feb. 21. In the 2018-2019 season, Bryant collected six top-10 finishes, including earning a bronze medal at the conference outdoor championships, May 9-11, with a discus throw clearing 47.81m.
Lester earned Second Team All-MAC with a high jump mark of 2.06 meters at the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 28-29, good for second place at the league event. Earlier in the season, the Marietta, Ga. product took home first prize in the high jump at the Alex Wilson Invitational with a leap of 2.00 meters, Feb. 22. The Georgia native registered top-10 finishes in the 200m dash, 60m hurdles, pole vault, and shot put at the SVSU Doug Hansen Open, Jan. 17. The season prior, Lester was named Academic All-MAC and placed fourth at the MAC Indoor Championships with a career-best
Decathalon point total of 6,529, May 9-11.
A native of Elstow, Saskatchewan, Wylie competed in three meets last season for the Eagles, including the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Feb. 28-29. At the conference meet, the then-sophomore finished eighth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.42. Off the track, the Saskatchewan product garnered Academic All-MAC honors. Wylie, a hurdling specialist, earned top-10 finishes in both the 110m and 400m hurdles at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships, May 9-11.
Former Academic All-MAC honoree Zuercher returns to the track after a dominant cross country season, including a top-10 finish at the Falcon Invitational, Nov. 7. The distance runner competed in two meets last season, the MAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 28-29, and the Silverston Invitational, Feb. 21. At the league event, the Ohio native helped EMU finish fifth in the DMR with a 10:13.84 clip, Feb. 28-29. Zuercher also earned a second-place spot in the mile at the Silverston Invitational, Feb. 21, with a time of 4:15.89.
For updates on all things cross country and track and field, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the teams on Instagram, @EMUXC_TF, and Twitter, @EMUXC_TF.
"We have high goals for the track season and I'm excited for the student-athletes who have been chosen to lead us" said Coach Parks. "This is a large group but this is also an unusual year and I feel that these athletes will help bring the team together in our first year as a combined program. I'm looking forward to their leadership as we get ready to compete in 2021."
EMU's women will be led by senior Kadian Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica-Immaculate Conception), Micah Johnston (Toledo, Ohio-Toledo Christian), graduate student Brittni Mason (Richmond Heights, Ohio-West Geauga), graduate student Gianna Salzbrunn (North Aurora, Ill.-Montini Catholic), and junior Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View-N.C. State) as the team looks to defend its Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship title in 2021.
Meanwhile, the men will be guided by graduate student Taige Bryant (Edmond, Okla.-Edmond Memorial), senior Skyler Lester (Marietta, Ga.-Marietta), junior Payne Wylie (Elstow, Saskatchewan-Colonsay School), and redshirt sophomore Eddie Zuercher (Rocky River, Ohio-Rocky River). Last season, the men's team finished runner-up at the MAC Indoor Championships and won six individual titles.
Named an All-Academic Athlete by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, Clarke competed in eight meets for the Eagles during the 2019-20 indoor season. She set the Eastern Michigan school record in the indoor weight throw with a mark of 19.37 meters at the conference meet, Feb. 28-29, which was good for fourth overall.
Johnston returns as a captain after missing time last season. She was a member of the Eagles' 4x100-meter relay team that set the EMU school record at the 2019 NCAA East Regional Championships on May 23-25, as it crossed finish line in 44.65 seconds. Johnston earned First and Second Team All-MAC honors with two podium finishes at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships, finishing second in the 400m with a time of 53.55 which tied the seventh-best mark in program history, while also running a leg of the Eagles' championship 4x100 relay that finished in 45.04.
Mason garnered Academic All-MAC honors for the third-straight season last year during the indoor portion of the schedule. She earned Second Team All-MAC accolades after finishing second in the 60m dash at the MAC Indoor Championships with a time of 7.52, Feb. 28-29. She was also part of the Eagles' record-setting 4x100 meter relay team and currently holds the world record in the 100m (11.89) in the T46/T47 Paralympic classification.
An Academic All-MAC selection for the third time, Salzbrunn competed in seven meets for the Eagles last season, including the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships on Feb. 28-29, where she finished ninth in the Pentathlon with a total score of 3,417 points. The North Aurora, Ill. product finished fifth at the MAC Indoor Championships in the Pentathlon (3,427), Feb. 22-23, 2019 and ninth at the MAC Outdoor Championship in the Heptathlon (4,286), May 9-11.
In her first season at Eastern, Hall competed at six meets for the Eagles, including finishing sixth in the 800m run at the conference meet with a time of 2:12.19, Feb. 28-29. A native of Fayetteville, N.C., she set a personal best in the mile at the Music City Challenge with a time of 4:55.92, Feb. 15. Hall also came in fourth place in the 800m run with a personal-best time of 2:10.92 at the Meyo Invitational, Feb. 7-8.
Bryant wrapped up the 2019-2020 season placing third at the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships in the weight throw with a toss of 20.60 meters, Feb. 28-29. The Oklahoma native had a stellar season, posting top-three finishes in six-of-nine events. At the Silverston Invitational, Bryant recorded a career-best throw with a heave of 21.29 meters, Feb. 21. In the 2018-2019 season, Bryant collected six top-10 finishes, including earning a bronze medal at the conference outdoor championships, May 9-11, with a discus throw clearing 47.81m.
Lester earned Second Team All-MAC with a high jump mark of 2.06 meters at the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 28-29, good for second place at the league event. Earlier in the season, the Marietta, Ga. product took home first prize in the high jump at the Alex Wilson Invitational with a leap of 2.00 meters, Feb. 22. The Georgia native registered top-10 finishes in the 200m dash, 60m hurdles, pole vault, and shot put at the SVSU Doug Hansen Open, Jan. 17. The season prior, Lester was named Academic All-MAC and placed fourth at the MAC Indoor Championships with a career-best
Decathalon point total of 6,529, May 9-11.
A native of Elstow, Saskatchewan, Wylie competed in three meets last season for the Eagles, including the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Feb. 28-29. At the conference meet, the then-sophomore finished eighth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.42. Off the track, the Saskatchewan product garnered Academic All-MAC honors. Wylie, a hurdling specialist, earned top-10 finishes in both the 110m and 400m hurdles at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships, May 9-11.
Former Academic All-MAC honoree Zuercher returns to the track after a dominant cross country season, including a top-10 finish at the Falcon Invitational, Nov. 7. The distance runner competed in two meets last season, the MAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 28-29, and the Silverston Invitational, Feb. 21. At the league event, the Ohio native helped EMU finish fifth in the DMR with a 10:13.84 clip, Feb. 28-29. Zuercher also earned a second-place spot in the mile at the Silverston Invitational, Feb. 21, with a time of 4:15.89.
For updates on all things cross country and track and field, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the teams on Instagram, @EMUXC_TF, and Twitter, @EMUXC_TF.
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Distance
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