Eastern Michigan Athletics
Track & Field Adds Tori Franklin as Volunteer Coach
4/1/2021 12:00:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Franklin owns the U.S. record in the triple jump (14.84m)
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University Track & Field team added more experience to its staff as world-class triple jumper Tori Franklin joins the Eagles as a volunteer coach, announced Director/Head Coach of Cross Country/Track and Field Sue Parks today, April 1.
Franklin has been a huge name in the international realm of track & field where she has focused solely on the triple jump. At the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, she notched a second-place finish with a then-career-high mark of 13.66m. Weeks later, Franklin produced a 13.13m bound at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, which was good for ninth place. Between 2017-2019, she placed no lower than second in the event at the USA Track and Field Championships in both indoor and outdoor. Additionally, Franklin captured the 2017 and 2018 indoor titles with jumps of 13.86m and 14.15m, recording personal bests both times, respectively.
In 2018, Franklin became the U.S. record holder in the triple jump, bounding an incredible 14.84m at the International Meeting Region de Guadeloupe. Most recently, Franklin competed at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019, where she placed ninth overall with a distance of 14.08m.
At Michigan State University, she made an immediate impact as a freshman. During her first year on campus, the Illinois native recorded podium finishes in the triple jump at the Big Ten Conference Indoor Championships (2nd-12.84m), NCAA Indoor Championships (3rd-13.34m), and Big Ten Outdoor Championships (3rd-12.91m).
In her sophomore year, Franklin recorded her highest placement at both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships, placing second (13.34m) and fourth (13.56m), respectively. She won her first individual conference title at the 2014 Big Ten Indoor Championships during her junior season, leaping 13.56m for the gold. Franklin defended her crown during the outdoor season as she registered a 13.16m distance for first place.
She again paced the Big Ten in the triple jump, winning the indoor title in 2015 with a 13.31m mark. On the track, she helped lead the distance medley relay squad to a first-place finish as well, setting a school-record time of 10:57.80 that still stands today. The Illinois product wrapped up her collegiate career at the NCAA Indoor Championships where she took fifth with a 13.38m triple jump. When her time in East Lansing, Mich. came to an end, she had been named a three-time USTFCCCA All-American and three-time All-Big Ten honoree. Her 13.56m leap in 2014 is currently the highest mark in program history.
Franklin attended Downers Grove South High School in Downers Grove, Ill. where she was a four-time letterwinner in track & field and two-time letterwinner in basketball. Over the course of her career as a Mustang, she broke the school and conference record in the triple jump, 400m dash, and 4x400. At the 2009 Illinois High School AAA state meet, Franklin was runner-up in the triple jump. Meanwhile, in 2010 she won the state triple jump title and took third in the 4x400. As a senior, she placed second in the triple jump and 4x400, and earned bronze in the 400m dash. For her efforts, she received All-American status in both the triple jump and 4x400.
Franklin joins several other notable volunteer assistants on the EMU coaching staff, including Abel Flores, Cameron Hart, Alsu Lennemann (Bogdanova), and Ian Moini.
"I feel that we have some of the best volunteers in the NCAA," said Parks. "All of these individuals are hard workers who are committed to our program and to helping mentor our student-athletes. They add a second voice to what we are trying to do as a coaching staff. All of them have gone through the collegiate system so they know what our athletes are facing on a daily basis. We are very grateful for their help and hard work."
Franklin has been a huge name in the international realm of track & field where she has focused solely on the triple jump. At the 2016 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, she notched a second-place finish with a then-career-high mark of 13.66m. Weeks later, Franklin produced a 13.13m bound at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials, which was good for ninth place. Between 2017-2019, she placed no lower than second in the event at the USA Track and Field Championships in both indoor and outdoor. Additionally, Franklin captured the 2017 and 2018 indoor titles with jumps of 13.86m and 14.15m, recording personal bests both times, respectively.
In 2018, Franklin became the U.S. record holder in the triple jump, bounding an incredible 14.84m at the International Meeting Region de Guadeloupe. Most recently, Franklin competed at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar in 2019, where she placed ninth overall with a distance of 14.08m.
At Michigan State University, she made an immediate impact as a freshman. During her first year on campus, the Illinois native recorded podium finishes in the triple jump at the Big Ten Conference Indoor Championships (2nd-12.84m), NCAA Indoor Championships (3rd-13.34m), and Big Ten Outdoor Championships (3rd-12.91m).
In her sophomore year, Franklin recorded her highest placement at both the NCAA indoor and outdoor championships, placing second (13.34m) and fourth (13.56m), respectively. She won her first individual conference title at the 2014 Big Ten Indoor Championships during her junior season, leaping 13.56m for the gold. Franklin defended her crown during the outdoor season as she registered a 13.16m distance for first place.
She again paced the Big Ten in the triple jump, winning the indoor title in 2015 with a 13.31m mark. On the track, she helped lead the distance medley relay squad to a first-place finish as well, setting a school-record time of 10:57.80 that still stands today. The Illinois product wrapped up her collegiate career at the NCAA Indoor Championships where she took fifth with a 13.38m triple jump. When her time in East Lansing, Mich. came to an end, she had been named a three-time USTFCCCA All-American and three-time All-Big Ten honoree. Her 13.56m leap in 2014 is currently the highest mark in program history.
Franklin attended Downers Grove South High School in Downers Grove, Ill. where she was a four-time letterwinner in track & field and two-time letterwinner in basketball. Over the course of her career as a Mustang, she broke the school and conference record in the triple jump, 400m dash, and 4x400. At the 2009 Illinois High School AAA state meet, Franklin was runner-up in the triple jump. Meanwhile, in 2010 she won the state triple jump title and took third in the 4x400. As a senior, she placed second in the triple jump and 4x400, and earned bronze in the 400m dash. For her efforts, she received All-American status in both the triple jump and 4x400.
Franklin joins several other notable volunteer assistants on the EMU coaching staff, including Abel Flores, Cameron Hart, Alsu Lennemann (Bogdanova), and Ian Moini.
"I feel that we have some of the best volunteers in the NCAA," said Parks. "All of these individuals are hard workers who are committed to our program and to helping mentor our student-athletes. They add a second voice to what we are trying to do as a coaching staff. All of them have gone through the collegiate system so they know what our athletes are facing on a daily basis. We are very grateful for their help and hard work."
Flores, a 2018 Eastern Michigan graduate, was a key part of the Eagles' Mid-American Conference cross country championships. The Defiance, Ohio native was a member of the Green and Yellow squad that recorded a perfect score of 15 at the MAC title race, taking fourth as EMU won its seventh-straight conference championship.
Hart wrapped up his career as an Eagle in 2019 as a veteran jumper. In 2017, Hart captured the MAC indoor high jump crown, reaching a height of 2.18m. For the Columbus, Ohio product, that mark sits sixth all-time in program history.
A 2018 Eastern Michigan University graduate, Bogdanova is one of the most decorated distance runners in EMU history, excelling in both cross country and track. The Russia native won the conference cross country meet in 2015 and finished runner-up in 2017. She helped lead the Eagles to a ninth-place finish at the 2016 NCAA title meet, the best placement in program history. As a senior, she finished runner-up at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the 5000m run in 15:43.84, the fastest time ever by an Eagle. The harrier also remains the record-holder in the indoor 3000m run (9:05.81) and the 3000m steeplechase (9:51.29).
Moini is a 2020 graduate of the University of North Carolina where he competed in cross country and track. The Princeton, N.J. native's list of personal-bests as a Tar Heel includes a 25:03.1 clip in the 8K, and a 8:21.82 time in the indoor 3000m run.
"We are always so thankful for our volunteers," said Associate Head Coach Sterling Roberts. "Most of us coaches have been in their shoes at some point, so we greatly appreciate all they do. Tori, a multiple time US Champ and American record holder, brings so much to our staff as a role model to our athletes. She has so much energy and an amazing story of perseverance and success. While she might not be an alumna of EMU, she adds to our rich tradition of athletes who have excelled on the highest stage. We're thrilled to have her and I'm excited to work with her."
For updates on all things Eastern Michigan cross country and track and field, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the team on Instagram, @EMUXC_TF, and Twitter, @EMUXC_TF.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
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