Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
MAC Indoor Championships
Back-to-Back: Men's Track & Field Capture 2022 MAC Indoor Championships
2/26/2022 4:51:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Baldvin Magnusson earned MAC MVP honors for stellar performance
Complete Results
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's track & field team captured its second consecutive Mid-American Conference Indoor Championship today, Feb. 26, inside the Kent State Field House. EMU totaled a score of 166 to hoist the trophy, edging the University of Akron, who posted 156. The women's team finished second with 84.5 points, behind only Akron, which tallied 117.5.
"The team fought incredibly hard today and it was exciting to win our second straight title on the men's side," said Director/Head Coach Sue Parks. "Vinny Magnusson had an amazing weekend. I can't say enough about what a team player he is. On the women's side, the effort was there but we just didn't quite have enough to challenge for the win. Overall, it was a strong showing for our team. The coaching staff did a great job of preparing the athletes in their event groups and we brought a lot of energy and motivation to the meet. I couldn't be more proud of how we competed."
"I'm proud of the effort the entire team put out," added Assistant Coach Mark Rinker. "What Vinny did this weekend is truly special and selfless, I don't think anyone has ever done something like that at the MAC. Just a special weekend for the program."
How It Happened
The men's distance runners dominated the meet highlighted by junior Baldvin Magnusson (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University) who won the mile (4:07.00), 3000m (8:20.72), and placed third in the 800m race (1:53.04). In total, the Icelandic native earned 36 points for the Eagles.
Also on the track, sophomore Toby Gualter (Tawa, New Zealand-Tawa College) finished runner-up in the 3000 (8:22.52) after taking second in the 5000 (14:22.96) the day prior. Senior Derek Jones (Eria, Pa.-Cathedral Preparatory) and sophomore Kaleb Simpson (Bexley, Ohio-St. Charles Preparatory) placed second in the 800 (1:52.77) and 60 (6.78), respectively.
Sophomore Almighty Williamson (Baltimore, Md.-Digital Harbor (Barton C.C.)) took home the crown in the 60m hurdles with a time of 7.93. Junior Alysse Wade (Mansfield, Ohio-St. Peter's) had a solid outing in the 60H, crossing the finish line with a huge personal-best clip of 8.38 and claiming third.
The women's 4x400 crew of juniors Tiffany Cernej-Garcia (Ann Arbor, Mich.-Ann Arbor Pioneer), Mair Edwards (Basingstoke, England-The Costello School), senior Keypathwa Gibson (Toledo, Ohio-Roy C. Start), and sophomore Noriyah Johnson (Chanai, Greece-Second General (Abilene Christian)) paced the league with a time of 3:46.54.
In the field, senior Chukwusom Enekwechi (Valley Stream, N.Y.-Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences (Monroe College)) took second in the shot put with a mark of 17.41m. Elsewhere in the field, classmate Baboucar Sallah-Mohammed (Windhoek, Namibia-Fishburne Military (Va.) (Bethany College)) produced a leap of 15.62m for third in the triple jump. Meanwhile, fellow senior Quintella Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.-Saint Mary's (Texas Southern)) notched a second-place finish in the high jump with a clearance of 1.75m.
Senior Skyler Lester (Marietta, Ga.-Marietta) was strong in the heptathlon, finishing third overall with 5265 points, the third-best heptathlon point total in EMU history.
Meet Notes
2022 MAC Indoor Championships | Day 2
Feb. 26, 2022 | Kent, Ohio
* = Personal-best, DNS = Did Not Start, NH =No Height
Men's Coach of the Year: Sue Parks, Eastern Michigan
Women's Coach of the Year: Dennis Mitchell, Akron
Men's Most Valuable Performer: Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Women's Most Valuable Performers: Amaya Clarke, Akron, Joy Chirchir, Toledo, Charity Griffith, Ball State
Women's Freshman Track Performer of the Year: Joy Chirchir, Toledo
Women's Freshman Field Performer of the Year: Taylor Shriver, Akron
Men's Team Standings
1. Eastern Michigan 166
2. Akron 156
3. Kent State 134
4. Buffalo 64
Men's Individual Results
(Top six marks/times are scored)
60m
2. Kaleb Simpson 6.78
6. Kyle Martin 6.98
8. Almighty Williamson 7.06
200m
4. Richie Sadler 21.86
7. Kyle Martin 22.10
-- Kaleb Simpson DNS
400m
3. Richie Sadler 48.84
6. Tajay Roberts 49.05
7. Trent Barron 49.78
800m
2. Derek Jones 1:52.77
3. Baldvin Magnusson 1:53.04
3000m
1. Baldvin Magnusson 8:20.72
2. Toby Gualter 8:22.52
6. Linus Vennemann 8:23.53
4x400m Relay
3. EMU (Tajay Roberts, Dante Lander, Payne Wylie, Derek Jones) 3:17.98
60H
1. Almighty Williamson 7.93
6. Dante Lander 8.43
8. Payne Wylie 14.12
High Jump
3. Ousman Kamara 2.05*
4. Brendan Hill 2.00m*
-- Cayden Spencer-Thompson NH
Triple Jump
3. Baboucar Sallah-Mohammed 15.62m
6. Richie Sadler 15.14*
Shot Put
2. Chukwusom Enekwechi 17.41m
7. Newlyn Stephenson 15.12m
Heptathlon
3. Skyler Lester 5265*
60H
2. Skyler Lester 8.47
Pole Vault
5. Skyler Lester 3.86m*
1000m
5. Skyler Lester 2:58.20
Women's Team Standings
1. Akron 117.5
2. Eastern Michigan 84.5
3. Northern Illinois 70
4. Kent State 68
5. Toledo 68
6. Ball State 62
7. Miami 58
8. Bowling Green 48
9. Central Michigan 35
10. Buffalo 24
11. Western Michigan 16
12. Ohio 12
Women's Individual Results
(Top eight marks/times are scored)
60m
4. Kilani Harvey 7.60
8. Alyson Davis 7.74
200m
6. Mair Edwards 24.57
7. Saraiah Walkeses 24.79
8. Kilani Harvey 24.89
400m
3. Mair Edwards 55.19
7. Saraiah Walkes 56.07*
800m
4. Chevonne Wheeler 2:12.61*
8. Rebecca Odusola 2:21.86
Mile
7. Lexi Seifert 4:59.88
3000m
8. Faith Rono 9:50.88
16. Julia Pleskaczynska 10:07.58
22. Esme Davies 10:56.16
60H
3. Alysse Wade 8.38*
7. Angel Gazaway 8.68
8. Brenna Cavanaugh 8.69
4x400m Relay
1. EMU (Tiffany Cernej-Garcia, Mair Edwards, Keypathway Gibson, Noriyah Johnson) 3:46.54
High Jump
2. Quintella Johnson 1.75m
9. Morgan Iverson 1.66m
T-10. Nina Ward 1.61m
Pole Vault
T-6. Maura Lane 3.63m*
11. Fleur van der Linden 3.48m
13. Nicole Bow 3.33m
Triple Jump
11. Alisha St. Louis 11.66m
Shot Put
7. Kadian Clarke 14.98m
12. Miranda Cadwell 13.84m
Up Next
Eastern Michigan will wait to see if any marks qualify individuals for the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 11-12. For updates on all things EMU cross country and track and field, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the team on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @EMUXC_TF.
Players Mentioned
