Eastern Michigan Athletics
Remembering Bob Parks: Week 16
7/2/2021 5:40:00 PM | Men's XC, Men's Track & Field
Clement Chukwu wins national title, 1997-1999
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- Head Coach Bob Parks returned several reliable harriers from the previous cross country season and was hoping to improve from finishing fourth in 1996. In the preseason coaches poll, Eastern Michigan was picked to finish first in the Mid-American Conference, but Parks knew it wouldn't be easy.
The Eagles hosted the EMU Invitational early in the fall at the Rolling Hills Park in Ypsilanti, Mich. There, Morris Giddens crossed the finish line in 25:35 for first, 19 seconds faster than the next competitor. Redshirt freshmen Aaron Bartee and Mark Reed went 3-4 in 26:00 and 26:01, respectively. At the Spartan Invitational, Eastern grabbed second against strong Big Ten institutions, losing only to the host school. Mike Franko paced the Green and Gold, running very well for third place in 24:53. Clint Verran (fifth), Reed (seventh), and Giddens also earned top-10 spots.
Parks' harriers took this momentum into the following meets, hitting their stride at the always tough Notre Dame Invitational. In South Bend, Ind., Franko continued to shine, notching a fourth-place finish in 24:44 with Giddens two spots behind. Bartee and Reed got off to a slow start but were flying towards the end of the race to finish third and fourth, respectively. Verran rounded out the Eagles' first five runners with a 31st place finish. With these performances, Eastern Michigan upset Notre Dame and other regional blue bloods, scoring 89 points to the host school's 94.
The MAC title race was held on Toledo's Ottawa Park Golf Course where, despite running well, the Green and Gold could not overcome Miami's strong pack. After coming up short most of the season, Ben Reese bounced back in a major way to win the meet as an individual in 25:36. However, Miami was able to put four runners in front of EMU's second. Verran (8th - 25:57), Giddens (9th - 26:01), and Reed (10th - 16:12) all ran strong, but it was not enough with Miami hoisting the trophy, 35-39.
Eastern had the last laugh however, as it bested Miami at the NCAA District (now called regional) meet in Bloomington, Ind. Reese qualified as an individual for the NCAA title meet by grabbing third in 31:41 as the Green and Gold finished fifth overall while Miami took sixth. The NCAA Championship race was held in Greenville, S.C., hosted by Furman University. As a Brit, Reese was not used to the heat and humidity, but toughed it out for 92nd in 31:18 to end the Eagles' solid season.
Eastern Michigan hosted the EMU Invitational early in the indoor season where several names made some noise. Clement Chukwu had a phenomenal outing, winning the 400m dash in 46.05, automatically qualifying him for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Also on the track, Antonio Enoex won the 55m dash (6.54) while Jabari Chavis took the 200m dash (22.44). In the field, veteran thrower David Seaborne set a new varsity record in the weight throw as he threw 64'-3.75" for an NCAA provisional mark.
Ypsilanti was the site of the Eagles' final tune-up before the league indoor championships as the school hosted the EMU Classic. Seaborne continued to improve, registering a weight throw of 65'-7.5". Also in the field, Jamie Nieto produced a season-best clearance of 7'-3.25" in the high jump. On the track, Derrick Jackson and Giddens ran PRs of 1:50.53 and 1:52.64 in the 800m race, respectively.
Days prior to the meet, Parks was released from the hospital after having a stent put in when he was found to have clogged arteries. Despite being told to get lots of rest following the successful procedure, Parks could not stay away from his team, watching the EMU Classic as a spectator and returning to coach his tracksters at the conference title meet.
Kent State hosted the indoor championships where no one could stop Eastern Michigan. The Eagles ran away with the meet, racking up 178.5 points to the Golden Flashes' 101.5. Giddens showed that he was the best all-around runner there by winning the mile, 3000m, and being the leadoff man for the winning distance medley relay team. EMU scored 13 points alone in the 5K race with Bartee pacing the Eagles in 14:49.43 for second. The 400m dash was another sight to see with Chukwu running 45.37 to beat the NCAA automatic qualifying standard by 1.10 seconds. Fellow runner Fabian Rollins was right behind with a 46.52 finish. Chukwu came back later to help the Green and Gold capture the 4x400m relay in 3:08.97, another NCAA provisional mark. The Nigeria product's split was an astonishing 44.6, earning him Athlete of the Meet honors while Coach Parks was voted Coach of the Year.
At the NCAA meet in Indianapolis, Chukwu and Rollins opened up the scoring for the Eagles as they placed fifth (46.55) and sixth (48.86), respectively. Both had decent showings, but found themselves boxed in when they needed to make a move. In the field, Seaborne notched a 13th-place finish in the weight throw with a heave of 61'4" while Nieto took ninth in the high jump at 7'-2.5". Overall, EMU tied for 31st in the team standings with seven points.
The 1998 outdoor season began in Clemson, S.C. after then-coach of Clemson Bob Pollack convinced Parks' team to make the trip. Verran had a great showing, winning the steeplechase (9:10.74) and 5000m race (14:46.73). Chukwu picked up right where he left off, hitting 45.94 in the 400 for the win while roommate Nieto flew to 7'-2.5". Scores were kept at this meet with the host school being victorious, followed by Illinois (165), and Eastern Michigan (128.5).
After a long time on the road, the Eagles finally hosted a home meet, the EMU Open, inside Rynearson Stadium. There, Rollins returned from a leg injury to capture both the 200m (22.01) and 400m dashes (48.47) while running a leg for the winning 4x400m relay team (3:19.60). In the field. Meanwhile, Juris Vaskans took the long jump (23'-8"), Garfield Wright paced all competitors in the triple jump (48'-1.25"), and Seaborne notched a victory in the discus (165'-3").
Parks prepared his team for the MAC Outdoor Championships with a trip to Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Paddock Invitational. The highlight of the meet was Chukwu setting a stunning new varsity and meet record of 20.30 in the 200m dash, besting Jesse Owens' clip of 20.34 set in 1935. Rollins PRd in the event as well with a 21.25 time.
The conference meet took place in Akron, Ohio where Parks knew his team would face stiff competition. On the first day of the championships, Eastern earned 16 solid points in the 10,000m race with Verran being crowned the individual champion and Bartee taking third. With decent preliminary performance across the shorter running events, it appeared that Park's tracksters could pull out a win. Verran notched the steeplechase title in 8:59.67 the following day with Franko and Reese taking third (9:04.20) and fifth (9:11.01), respectively.
On Saturday, despite not performing well in the throws, the Green and Gold picked up 13 more points in the triple jump. Vaskans was the league's runner-up with a distance of 49'-9.75" with Wright notching fifth in 48'-6". Back on the track, points began to slowly accumulate, especially after Chukwu and Rollins went 1-2 in the 400m dash. Then came the 800m race where the Eagles raked in 20 points after Jackson crossed the finish line 1:51.78 followed by Naim Grignon (3rd - 1:52.96) and Travis Gunn (1:53.71).
The MAC trophy was still up for grabs heading into the 5K race, then Eastern shut the door. The Green and Gold swept the podium with Reese (1st - 14:35.96), Verran (14:36.83), and Bartee (14:37.07) for 24 major points to clinch the title. In the end, the MAC trophy returned to Ypsilanti as the team topped Kent State 171-152.5.
Two Eagles qualified for the NCAAs that season in Chukwu and Nieto. In Buffalo, N.Y. where it was shockingly cold, Chukwu ultimately took fourth in the finals with a 45.62 clip. Nieto was strong in the high jump, clearing 7'-3.25" for sixth with three great attempts at 7'-4.5". The eight points earned between the two tied for 27th in the team standings and closed the book on the memorable 1997-1998 season.
In the annual preseason coaches poll, Parks' team was once again chosen to finish very high as they were ranked second behind Miami. As always, Eastern Michigan had a shot at the title despite losing great talent, having reloaded with new faces ready to prove themselves.
After decent performances against local competition, the Eagles hit a rough patch with injuries and subpar performances. However, tougher meets began to mold some of Eastern's harriers as the season progressed. At the Mel Brodt Invitational in Bowling Green, Ohio, Bartee placed fifth in 25:43 while Blake McDowell was the second man in the group at 11th in 26:12.
Then, at Minnesota's Roy Briak Invitational, Bartee paced the Green and Gold again as he notched 40th in 25:46 against a field of 21 total DI schools. Momentum was gained weeks later at the Notre Dame Invitational where the Eagles' top-five runners finished in the first 44 spots, paced by Adam Wheeler (24th - 23:59). EMU ultimately finished eighth with 184 points in the 19-team competition.
Eastern returned to Bowling Green later that fall for the Mid-American title race. Reese, who had struggled most of the season, came in second in 24:57 behind a Central Michigan runner. Lee Shaw (25:14) and Bartee (25:17) were the next Eagle finishers, grabbing the eighth and ninth spots, respectively. Chris Chiaro crossed the finish line as the team's fifth man for 17th, but it was unfortunately not enough to clinch a team victory. Miami took home the MAC trophy with 46 points to Eastern's 49. Parks had a great race plan for his team, and although his harriers didn't win, he was voted Coach of the Year.
At the NCAA Regional meet in Terry Haute, Ind., EMU fared about the same as it did at MACs. The Eagles finished 9th out of 26 teams with 211 points and were paced by Reese (14th - 32:38) who qualified for the NCAAs in the 10K race. Parks and Reece flew to Kansas for the national meet where the course was owned and designed by former Kansas Coach Bob Timmons. The picturesque trail was hilly and narrow in many places, but Reese made some moves late in the race to place 102n in 32:10, thus concluding the cross country season.
Eastern Michigan's home opener for the 1999 indoor season was the EMU Invitational where Nieto stole the show. After dedicating more time to the weight throw, his marks began to improve as he reached 7'-5.25" to break his own varsity record. Gerald Roosal made his collegiate debut, winning the 55m dash (6.40) and long jump (22'-7"). On the track, Rollins notched a victory in the 200m dash with a fast time of 21.48.
The Eagles went back to Ann Arbor weeks later for the Red Simmons Invitational, capturing seven events at the Michigan meet. Reese made his season debut in the 3000m in 8:24.66 followed by fellow brit Shaw in 8:26.27. Chukwu ran away with the 200, crossing the finish line in 21.33 for an NCAA provisional time. In the field, Vaskans took the TJ with a distance of 49'-2.25" while Jeremy Lingenfelter grabbed first in the shot put at 53'-3.75".
At the EMU Classic, the distance medley relay team clocked in at 9:44.04 which placed them sixth in the country at the time, giving them a good shot at making it to the NCAAs. Reese returned after running a leg on the DMR to take third in the mile in 4:06.0 while Bartee ran a PR of 8:30.28 for a close second.
In Bowling Green, Ohio, Central Michigan looked like the only team standing in Eastern's way. Early on it was close, with EMU not scoring in the weight throw, but then the points began to pile in. Nieto took home the high jump crown in a nailbiter, clearing 7'-3" on his last attempt to beat out two Ball State jumpers. Despite not loading up the DMR squad, Eastern won it all with Reese running a magnificent anchor leg. Reese came back to win the mile in 4:10.08 and 3000m race in 8:25.20. Chukwu was a double champion with victories in the 200m (21.22) and 400m (47.12). The icing on the cake was a sweep in the triple jump led by Vaskans with a bound of 50'-3.5". When the final scores were tallied, EMU accumulated 188 points to CMU's 111. Reese was named MVP of the running events for his three wins.
The NCAA Indoor Championships took place in Indianapolis where the Green and Gold had three individuals looking to make some noise. Chukwu was superb in the 200, in spite of a slow time in the preliminary round, ultimately finishing runner-up in the finals in 20.73, just .05 slower than the national champion. Rollins faced off against the best in the country in the 400m dash, clocking in at 47.32, just missing the cut to advance. Lastly, Nieto was stellar in the jump as he soared to a PR of 7'-6" for third, the same height as the second-place jumper, but with more misses. The three earned 14 total points to put the team in 17th in the team standings, as the team turned its attention to the outdoor season.
The whole team made its outdoor debut at the Ohio University Invitational in Athens, Ohio. Chukwu was the star of the meet, as he was at most meets, winning both the 100m dash (10.38) and the 200m dash (20.5). Elsewhere on the track, Shaw took the 1500m race (3:57.87) while McDowell notched a victory in the 5K (14:50.5). In the field, Eastern Michigan swept the podium in the triple jump and went 1-2-4 in the long jump for 46 points. The Eagles grabbed 12 total event titles for 248 points overall to beat Cincinnati's 179.
At the famous Drake Relays, Chukwu won the 400m invitational in a challenging field with a 45.86. Veteran jumper Victor Nembhard finished runner-up in the long jump at 24'-1.75" while Reese was fourth in the 1500m race, clocking in at 3:50.08. Reed took on the 10K where he placed seventh overall. Weeks later, at the Paddock Invitational, Vaskans set a varsity triple jump record of 52'-2" to gain momentum headed into MACs. Meanwhile, Rory Sneyd won the 5000m race in 14:42.39 to earn a spot in the league meet.
The Chippewas once again looked to spoil Eastern's championship chances, and had an opportunity to do so as they hosted the conference showdown in Mount Pleasant, Mich. On the first day of the competition, McDowell snuck in for second in the 10K with a 30:22.54 mark while Sam Sheffer achieved the same spot in the decathlon with Dave Stewart taking fourth.
On day No. 2, Vaskans pulled out a win in the long jump at 24'-0.25" to give the Green and Gold some much-needed points in the field. On the track, EMU didn't qualify as many as hoped for, but still had several of tracksters in the finals. Elsewhere on the track, Reese returned from his 1500m preliminary race to win the 3000m steeplechase in 9:13.08.
The following day, Vaskans capped off his strong season by obtaining the triple jump crown with a 50'-3.25" leap. Reese was strong in the 1500m finals, but got outkicked at the end, crossing the finish line in 3:48.47 for second. The Eagles built a small lead, collecting points across the various running events. A rested McDowell came back to finish second overall in the 5K race with a time of 14:33.71. Ultimately, despite not having a stellar final day, the Green and Gold held off Central, 151-136. As promised, Parks ran a victory lap with the team despite tearing his knee.
Chukwu, who won the outdoor MAC title in the 400m dash in 45.61, set his eyes on a national championship. In Boise, Idaho, the Nigerian native lined up against the best in the country and proved why he deserved to be there. The EMU legend sprinted his way to an individual national title with a school-record clip of 44.79. The remarkable performance was one for the ages and was Parks' final appearance coaching track & field at Eastern Michigan.
Be sure to follow along in the following weeks as we continue to take a deep dive into Bob Parks' legacy at Eastern Michigan University.
The Eagles hosted the EMU Invitational early in the fall at the Rolling Hills Park in Ypsilanti, Mich. There, Morris Giddens crossed the finish line in 25:35 for first, 19 seconds faster than the next competitor. Redshirt freshmen Aaron Bartee and Mark Reed went 3-4 in 26:00 and 26:01, respectively. At the Spartan Invitational, Eastern grabbed second against strong Big Ten institutions, losing only to the host school. Mike Franko paced the Green and Gold, running very well for third place in 24:53. Clint Verran (fifth), Reed (seventh), and Giddens also earned top-10 spots.
Parks' harriers took this momentum into the following meets, hitting their stride at the always tough Notre Dame Invitational. In South Bend, Ind., Franko continued to shine, notching a fourth-place finish in 24:44 with Giddens two spots behind. Bartee and Reed got off to a slow start but were flying towards the end of the race to finish third and fourth, respectively. Verran rounded out the Eagles' first five runners with a 31st place finish. With these performances, Eastern Michigan upset Notre Dame and other regional blue bloods, scoring 89 points to the host school's 94.
The MAC title race was held on Toledo's Ottawa Park Golf Course where, despite running well, the Green and Gold could not overcome Miami's strong pack. After coming up short most of the season, Ben Reese bounced back in a major way to win the meet as an individual in 25:36. However, Miami was able to put four runners in front of EMU's second. Verran (8th - 25:57), Giddens (9th - 26:01), and Reed (10th - 16:12) all ran strong, but it was not enough with Miami hoisting the trophy, 35-39.
Eastern had the last laugh however, as it bested Miami at the NCAA District (now called regional) meet in Bloomington, Ind. Reese qualified as an individual for the NCAA title meet by grabbing third in 31:41 as the Green and Gold finished fifth overall while Miami took sixth. The NCAA Championship race was held in Greenville, S.C., hosted by Furman University. As a Brit, Reese was not used to the heat and humidity, but toughed it out for 92nd in 31:18 to end the Eagles' solid season.
Eastern Michigan hosted the EMU Invitational early in the indoor season where several names made some noise. Clement Chukwu had a phenomenal outing, winning the 400m dash in 46.05, automatically qualifying him for the NCAA Indoor Championships. Also on the track, Antonio Enoex won the 55m dash (6.54) while Jabari Chavis took the 200m dash (22.44). In the field, veteran thrower David Seaborne set a new varsity record in the weight throw as he threw 64'-3.75" for an NCAA provisional mark.
Ypsilanti was the site of the Eagles' final tune-up before the league indoor championships as the school hosted the EMU Classic. Seaborne continued to improve, registering a weight throw of 65'-7.5". Also in the field, Jamie Nieto produced a season-best clearance of 7'-3.25" in the high jump. On the track, Derrick Jackson and Giddens ran PRs of 1:50.53 and 1:52.64 in the 800m race, respectively.
Days prior to the meet, Parks was released from the hospital after having a stent put in when he was found to have clogged arteries. Despite being told to get lots of rest following the successful procedure, Parks could not stay away from his team, watching the EMU Classic as a spectator and returning to coach his tracksters at the conference title meet.
Kent State hosted the indoor championships where no one could stop Eastern Michigan. The Eagles ran away with the meet, racking up 178.5 points to the Golden Flashes' 101.5. Giddens showed that he was the best all-around runner there by winning the mile, 3000m, and being the leadoff man for the winning distance medley relay team. EMU scored 13 points alone in the 5K race with Bartee pacing the Eagles in 14:49.43 for second. The 400m dash was another sight to see with Chukwu running 45.37 to beat the NCAA automatic qualifying standard by 1.10 seconds. Fellow runner Fabian Rollins was right behind with a 46.52 finish. Chukwu came back later to help the Green and Gold capture the 4x400m relay in 3:08.97, another NCAA provisional mark. The Nigeria product's split was an astonishing 44.6, earning him Athlete of the Meet honors while Coach Parks was voted Coach of the Year.
At the NCAA meet in Indianapolis, Chukwu and Rollins opened up the scoring for the Eagles as they placed fifth (46.55) and sixth (48.86), respectively. Both had decent showings, but found themselves boxed in when they needed to make a move. In the field, Seaborne notched a 13th-place finish in the weight throw with a heave of 61'4" while Nieto took ninth in the high jump at 7'-2.5". Overall, EMU tied for 31st in the team standings with seven points.
The 1998 outdoor season began in Clemson, S.C. after then-coach of Clemson Bob Pollack convinced Parks' team to make the trip. Verran had a great showing, winning the steeplechase (9:10.74) and 5000m race (14:46.73). Chukwu picked up right where he left off, hitting 45.94 in the 400 for the win while roommate Nieto flew to 7'-2.5". Scores were kept at this meet with the host school being victorious, followed by Illinois (165), and Eastern Michigan (128.5).
After a long time on the road, the Eagles finally hosted a home meet, the EMU Open, inside Rynearson Stadium. There, Rollins returned from a leg injury to capture both the 200m (22.01) and 400m dashes (48.47) while running a leg for the winning 4x400m relay team (3:19.60). In the field. Meanwhile, Juris Vaskans took the long jump (23'-8"), Garfield Wright paced all competitors in the triple jump (48'-1.25"), and Seaborne notched a victory in the discus (165'-3").
Parks prepared his team for the MAC Outdoor Championships with a trip to Ann Arbor, Mich. for the Paddock Invitational. The highlight of the meet was Chukwu setting a stunning new varsity and meet record of 20.30 in the 200m dash, besting Jesse Owens' clip of 20.34 set in 1935. Rollins PRd in the event as well with a 21.25 time.
The conference meet took place in Akron, Ohio where Parks knew his team would face stiff competition. On the first day of the championships, Eastern earned 16 solid points in the 10,000m race with Verran being crowned the individual champion and Bartee taking third. With decent preliminary performance across the shorter running events, it appeared that Park's tracksters could pull out a win. Verran notched the steeplechase title in 8:59.67 the following day with Franko and Reese taking third (9:04.20) and fifth (9:11.01), respectively.
On Saturday, despite not performing well in the throws, the Green and Gold picked up 13 more points in the triple jump. Vaskans was the league's runner-up with a distance of 49'-9.75" with Wright notching fifth in 48'-6". Back on the track, points began to slowly accumulate, especially after Chukwu and Rollins went 1-2 in the 400m dash. Then came the 800m race where the Eagles raked in 20 points after Jackson crossed the finish line 1:51.78 followed by Naim Grignon (3rd - 1:52.96) and Travis Gunn (1:53.71).
The MAC trophy was still up for grabs heading into the 5K race, then Eastern shut the door. The Green and Gold swept the podium with Reese (1st - 14:35.96), Verran (14:36.83), and Bartee (14:37.07) for 24 major points to clinch the title. In the end, the MAC trophy returned to Ypsilanti as the team topped Kent State 171-152.5.
Two Eagles qualified for the NCAAs that season in Chukwu and Nieto. In Buffalo, N.Y. where it was shockingly cold, Chukwu ultimately took fourth in the finals with a 45.62 clip. Nieto was strong in the high jump, clearing 7'-3.25" for sixth with three great attempts at 7'-4.5". The eight points earned between the two tied for 27th in the team standings and closed the book on the memorable 1997-1998 season.
In the annual preseason coaches poll, Parks' team was once again chosen to finish very high as they were ranked second behind Miami. As always, Eastern Michigan had a shot at the title despite losing great talent, having reloaded with new faces ready to prove themselves.
After decent performances against local competition, the Eagles hit a rough patch with injuries and subpar performances. However, tougher meets began to mold some of Eastern's harriers as the season progressed. At the Mel Brodt Invitational in Bowling Green, Ohio, Bartee placed fifth in 25:43 while Blake McDowell was the second man in the group at 11th in 26:12.
Then, at Minnesota's Roy Briak Invitational, Bartee paced the Green and Gold again as he notched 40th in 25:46 against a field of 21 total DI schools. Momentum was gained weeks later at the Notre Dame Invitational where the Eagles' top-five runners finished in the first 44 spots, paced by Adam Wheeler (24th - 23:59). EMU ultimately finished eighth with 184 points in the 19-team competition.
Eastern returned to Bowling Green later that fall for the Mid-American title race. Reese, who had struggled most of the season, came in second in 24:57 behind a Central Michigan runner. Lee Shaw (25:14) and Bartee (25:17) were the next Eagle finishers, grabbing the eighth and ninth spots, respectively. Chris Chiaro crossed the finish line as the team's fifth man for 17th, but it was unfortunately not enough to clinch a team victory. Miami took home the MAC trophy with 46 points to Eastern's 49. Parks had a great race plan for his team, and although his harriers didn't win, he was voted Coach of the Year.
At the NCAA Regional meet in Terry Haute, Ind., EMU fared about the same as it did at MACs. The Eagles finished 9th out of 26 teams with 211 points and were paced by Reese (14th - 32:38) who qualified for the NCAAs in the 10K race. Parks and Reece flew to Kansas for the national meet where the course was owned and designed by former Kansas Coach Bob Timmons. The picturesque trail was hilly and narrow in many places, but Reese made some moves late in the race to place 102n in 32:10, thus concluding the cross country season.
Eastern Michigan's home opener for the 1999 indoor season was the EMU Invitational where Nieto stole the show. After dedicating more time to the weight throw, his marks began to improve as he reached 7'-5.25" to break his own varsity record. Gerald Roosal made his collegiate debut, winning the 55m dash (6.40) and long jump (22'-7"). On the track, Rollins notched a victory in the 200m dash with a fast time of 21.48.
The Eagles went back to Ann Arbor weeks later for the Red Simmons Invitational, capturing seven events at the Michigan meet. Reese made his season debut in the 3000m in 8:24.66 followed by fellow brit Shaw in 8:26.27. Chukwu ran away with the 200, crossing the finish line in 21.33 for an NCAA provisional time. In the field, Vaskans took the TJ with a distance of 49'-2.25" while Jeremy Lingenfelter grabbed first in the shot put at 53'-3.75".
At the EMU Classic, the distance medley relay team clocked in at 9:44.04 which placed them sixth in the country at the time, giving them a good shot at making it to the NCAAs. Reese returned after running a leg on the DMR to take third in the mile in 4:06.0 while Bartee ran a PR of 8:30.28 for a close second.
In Bowling Green, Ohio, Central Michigan looked like the only team standing in Eastern's way. Early on it was close, with EMU not scoring in the weight throw, but then the points began to pile in. Nieto took home the high jump crown in a nailbiter, clearing 7'-3" on his last attempt to beat out two Ball State jumpers. Despite not loading up the DMR squad, Eastern won it all with Reese running a magnificent anchor leg. Reese came back to win the mile in 4:10.08 and 3000m race in 8:25.20. Chukwu was a double champion with victories in the 200m (21.22) and 400m (47.12). The icing on the cake was a sweep in the triple jump led by Vaskans with a bound of 50'-3.5". When the final scores were tallied, EMU accumulated 188 points to CMU's 111. Reese was named MVP of the running events for his three wins.
The NCAA Indoor Championships took place in Indianapolis where the Green and Gold had three individuals looking to make some noise. Chukwu was superb in the 200, in spite of a slow time in the preliminary round, ultimately finishing runner-up in the finals in 20.73, just .05 slower than the national champion. Rollins faced off against the best in the country in the 400m dash, clocking in at 47.32, just missing the cut to advance. Lastly, Nieto was stellar in the jump as he soared to a PR of 7'-6" for third, the same height as the second-place jumper, but with more misses. The three earned 14 total points to put the team in 17th in the team standings, as the team turned its attention to the outdoor season.
The whole team made its outdoor debut at the Ohio University Invitational in Athens, Ohio. Chukwu was the star of the meet, as he was at most meets, winning both the 100m dash (10.38) and the 200m dash (20.5). Elsewhere on the track, Shaw took the 1500m race (3:57.87) while McDowell notched a victory in the 5K (14:50.5). In the field, Eastern Michigan swept the podium in the triple jump and went 1-2-4 in the long jump for 46 points. The Eagles grabbed 12 total event titles for 248 points overall to beat Cincinnati's 179.
At the famous Drake Relays, Chukwu won the 400m invitational in a challenging field with a 45.86. Veteran jumper Victor Nembhard finished runner-up in the long jump at 24'-1.75" while Reese was fourth in the 1500m race, clocking in at 3:50.08. Reed took on the 10K where he placed seventh overall. Weeks later, at the Paddock Invitational, Vaskans set a varsity triple jump record of 52'-2" to gain momentum headed into MACs. Meanwhile, Rory Sneyd won the 5000m race in 14:42.39 to earn a spot in the league meet.
The Chippewas once again looked to spoil Eastern's championship chances, and had an opportunity to do so as they hosted the conference showdown in Mount Pleasant, Mich. On the first day of the competition, McDowell snuck in for second in the 10K with a 30:22.54 mark while Sam Sheffer achieved the same spot in the decathlon with Dave Stewart taking fourth.
On day No. 2, Vaskans pulled out a win in the long jump at 24'-0.25" to give the Green and Gold some much-needed points in the field. On the track, EMU didn't qualify as many as hoped for, but still had several of tracksters in the finals. Elsewhere on the track, Reese returned from his 1500m preliminary race to win the 3000m steeplechase in 9:13.08.
The following day, Vaskans capped off his strong season by obtaining the triple jump crown with a 50'-3.25" leap. Reese was strong in the 1500m finals, but got outkicked at the end, crossing the finish line in 3:48.47 for second. The Eagles built a small lead, collecting points across the various running events. A rested McDowell came back to finish second overall in the 5K race with a time of 14:33.71. Ultimately, despite not having a stellar final day, the Green and Gold held off Central, 151-136. As promised, Parks ran a victory lap with the team despite tearing his knee.
Chukwu, who won the outdoor MAC title in the 400m dash in 45.61, set his eyes on a national championship. In Boise, Idaho, the Nigerian native lined up against the best in the country and proved why he deserved to be there. The EMU legend sprinted his way to an individual national title with a school-record clip of 44.79. The remarkable performance was one for the ages and was Parks' final appearance coaching track & field at Eastern Michigan.
Be sure to follow along in the following weeks as we continue to take a deep dive into Bob Parks' legacy at Eastern Michigan University.
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