Eastern Michigan Athletics
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
EMU Track & Field Looks Forward to MAC Outdoor Championships
5/10/2022 11:33:00 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
The league championships will take place in Kalamazoo, Mich., May 12-14
CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION | SCHEDULE (PDF)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University track & field program has put together a strong season thus far and hopes to continue its success at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships Thursday through Saturday, May 12-14, in Kalamazoo, Mich. Western Michigan University is set to host the league showdown at the Kanley Track & Field Complex, starting Thursday at 10 a.m. with the men's hammer throw competition.
"This will be an exciting MAC meet with several schools in the mix for team titles," said Director/Head Coach Sue Parks. "We are ready for the challenge and look forward to putting it all together as a team this weekend."
For the men, they have an opportunity to do something they have not accomplished since 2018: capture the Triple Crown. The men's harriers dominated the cross country season, posting eight runners in the top 20 at the MAC Championship meet, which took place in Ypsilanti, Mich. at Eagle Crest Golf Club, Oct. 30. Then, the team built on that success during the indoor season, tallying 166 points at the 2022 MAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 25-26.
The men's team took third at last year's outdoor MAC meet with 136 points as Miami hoisted the trophy at home. Three individuals won their events at the 2021 meet: former Eagle Zach Harkey (Discus - 52.86m), and juniors Baldvin Magnusson (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University) (5000m - 14:09.50) and Payne Wylie (Elstow, Saskatchewan-Colonsay School) (110H - 13.96).
The women's team posted a second-place finish at the 2022 MAC Indoor Championships, scoring 84.5 points to Akron's 117.5, Feb. 25-26, and are hoping to earn the league's outdoor title for the first time since 2016.
At the 2021 MAC Outdoor Championships in Oxford, Ohio, EMU's women's team finished runner-up with 90 points to Kent State's 102, May 7-8. On the track, junior Alysse Wade (Mansfield, Ohio-St. Peter's) captured the 100H crown with a 13.87 clip. Meanwhile, the quartet of sophomore Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C.-Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts), and former Eagles Micah Johnston, Brittni Mason, and Kolby Ganther dominated the 4x100m relay race. The crew clocked in at 45.64 for the event title, over .5 seconds faster than the second-place team. Additionally, this was its fifth-straight 4x100 MAC victory.
In the field, senior Quintella Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.-Saint Mary's (Texas Southern)) won the high jump title with a mark of 1.78m.
Eagles to watch for at this year's outdoor meet include sophomore Kaleb Simpson (Bexley, Ohio-St. Charles Preparatory), freshman Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla.-The-Out-of-Door-Academy), and junior Mair Edwards (Basingstoke, England-The Costello School).
Simpson owns the top 100m dash time in the conference (10.38) and the second-fastest 200m time (21.12). Walkes also boasts top-five times in the same two events, with times of 11.70 (100m - 5th) and 24.14 (200m - 3rd), respectively. Edwards recorded a time of 54.59 in the 400m dash at the Clark Wood Invitational, April 30, the second-fastest time in the MAC.
For middle-distance and distance events, Magnusson and junior Faith Rono (Eldoret, Kenya (Middle Tennessee State)) look to earn big points in the 1500m and 5000m races. For the men's team, they have had an individual win the 5000m title nine times since 2009. In the 10K, junior Sofia Ivanko (Buenos Aires, Argentina-St. Matthew's College) and sophomore Toby Gualter (Tawa, New Zealand-Tawa College) are set to showcase their athleticism after both producing top-10 program marks earlier in the season.
The hurdlers have had a phenomenal season thus far, highlighted by sophomore Almighty Williamson (Baltimore, Md.-Digital Harbor (Barton C.C.)) and Wade in the 110H and 100H, respectively. Williamson is the only men's hurdler in the conference to register a sub-14-second clip in the event, while Wade is second in the MAC with a career-best time of 13.64.
Both teams have excelled in relays, with the women's team owning the MAC's best 4x100 time (45.14), and second-best 4x400 time (3:43.51). Meanwhile, the men are second (40.43) and third (3:13.20) in the 4x100 and 4x400, respectively.
In jumps, freshman Brendan Hill (Huber Heights, Ohio-Wayne) and sophomore Ousman Kamara (Coatesville, Pa.-Coatesville) are both tied for third in the league in the high jump at 2.06m. Johnson is also tied for third on the women's side at 1.70m. Senior Baboucar Sallah-Mohammed (Windhoek, Namibia-Fishburne Military (Va.) (Bethany College)) and junior Richie Sadler (Greenville, S.C.-Greer (Coastal Carolina)) are 1-2 in the conference in the triple jump, with season-best marks of 15.89m and 15.73m, respectively.
The throwers have had an excellent year, with school records set by senior Kadian Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica-Immaculate Conception) in the shot put (15.63m) and hammer throw (60.77m). Junior Newlyn Stephenson (Gary, Ind.-Thea Bowman Leadership Academy) is second in the MAC in the hammer throw at 64.36m, the fifth-best mark in EMU history.
Senior Chukwusom Enekwechi (Valley Stream, N.Y.-Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences (Monroe College)) paces the conference in the shot put with a mark of 18.17m. In the discus, sophomore Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield South) looks to improve upon her school-record mark of 45.66m, set last year. Senior Joe Duff (Crosswell, Mich.-Crosswell Lexington (Concordia University)) ranks second in the league in the javelin with a career-best throw of 63.72m.
In multis, freshman Maleah Scott (Farmington, Minn.-Farmington) will compete in the heptathlon.
Following the MAC Outdoor Championships, the Eagles will wait to see who will qualify for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Championships. The regional competition takes place Wednesday through Saturday, May 25-28, in Bloomington, Ind., hosted by the University of Indiana. 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.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University track & field program has put together a strong season thus far and hopes to continue its success at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships Thursday through Saturday, May 12-14, in Kalamazoo, Mich. Western Michigan University is set to host the league showdown at the Kanley Track & Field Complex, starting Thursday at 10 a.m. with the men's hammer throw competition.
"This will be an exciting MAC meet with several schools in the mix for team titles," said Director/Head Coach Sue Parks. "We are ready for the challenge and look forward to putting it all together as a team this weekend."
For the men, they have an opportunity to do something they have not accomplished since 2018: capture the Triple Crown. The men's harriers dominated the cross country season, posting eight runners in the top 20 at the MAC Championship meet, which took place in Ypsilanti, Mich. at Eagle Crest Golf Club, Oct. 30. Then, the team built on that success during the indoor season, tallying 166 points at the 2022 MAC Indoor Championships, Feb. 25-26.
The men's team took third at last year's outdoor MAC meet with 136 points as Miami hoisted the trophy at home. Three individuals won their events at the 2021 meet: former Eagle Zach Harkey (Discus - 52.86m), and juniors Baldvin Magnusson (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University) (5000m - 14:09.50) and Payne Wylie (Elstow, Saskatchewan-Colonsay School) (110H - 13.96).
The women's team posted a second-place finish at the 2022 MAC Indoor Championships, scoring 84.5 points to Akron's 117.5, Feb. 25-26, and are hoping to earn the league's outdoor title for the first time since 2016.
At the 2021 MAC Outdoor Championships in Oxford, Ohio, EMU's women's team finished runner-up with 90 points to Kent State's 102, May 7-8. On the track, junior Alysse Wade (Mansfield, Ohio-St. Peter's) captured the 100H crown with a 13.87 clip. Meanwhile, the quartet of sophomore Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C.-Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts), and former Eagles Micah Johnston, Brittni Mason, and Kolby Ganther dominated the 4x100m relay race. The crew clocked in at 45.64 for the event title, over .5 seconds faster than the second-place team. Additionally, this was its fifth-straight 4x100 MAC victory.
In the field, senior Quintella Johnson (Las Vegas, Nev.-Saint Mary's (Texas Southern)) won the high jump title with a mark of 1.78m.
Eagles to watch for at this year's outdoor meet include sophomore Kaleb Simpson (Bexley, Ohio-St. Charles Preparatory), freshman Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla.-The-Out-of-Door-Academy), and junior Mair Edwards (Basingstoke, England-The Costello School).
Simpson owns the top 100m dash time in the conference (10.38) and the second-fastest 200m time (21.12). Walkes also boasts top-five times in the same two events, with times of 11.70 (100m - 5th) and 24.14 (200m - 3rd), respectively. Edwards recorded a time of 54.59 in the 400m dash at the Clark Wood Invitational, April 30, the second-fastest time in the MAC.
For middle-distance and distance events, Magnusson and junior Faith Rono (Eldoret, Kenya (Middle Tennessee State)) look to earn big points in the 1500m and 5000m races. For the men's team, they have had an individual win the 5000m title nine times since 2009. In the 10K, junior Sofia Ivanko (Buenos Aires, Argentina-St. Matthew's College) and sophomore Toby Gualter (Tawa, New Zealand-Tawa College) are set to showcase their athleticism after both producing top-10 program marks earlier in the season.
The hurdlers have had a phenomenal season thus far, highlighted by sophomore Almighty Williamson (Baltimore, Md.-Digital Harbor (Barton C.C.)) and Wade in the 110H and 100H, respectively. Williamson is the only men's hurdler in the conference to register a sub-14-second clip in the event, while Wade is second in the MAC with a career-best time of 13.64.
Both teams have excelled in relays, with the women's team owning the MAC's best 4x100 time (45.14), and second-best 4x400 time (3:43.51). Meanwhile, the men are second (40.43) and third (3:13.20) in the 4x100 and 4x400, respectively.
In jumps, freshman Brendan Hill (Huber Heights, Ohio-Wayne) and sophomore Ousman Kamara (Coatesville, Pa.-Coatesville) are both tied for third in the league in the high jump at 2.06m. Johnson is also tied for third on the women's side at 1.70m. Senior Baboucar Sallah-Mohammed (Windhoek, Namibia-Fishburne Military (Va.) (Bethany College)) and junior Richie Sadler (Greenville, S.C.-Greer (Coastal Carolina)) are 1-2 in the conference in the triple jump, with season-best marks of 15.89m and 15.73m, respectively.
The throwers have had an excellent year, with school records set by senior Kadian Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica-Immaculate Conception) in the shot put (15.63m) and hammer throw (60.77m). Junior Newlyn Stephenson (Gary, Ind.-Thea Bowman Leadership Academy) is second in the MAC in the hammer throw at 64.36m, the fifth-best mark in EMU history.
Senior Chukwusom Enekwechi (Valley Stream, N.Y.-Jamaica Gateway to the Sciences (Monroe College)) paces the conference in the shot put with a mark of 18.17m. In the discus, sophomore Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill.-Plainfield South) looks to improve upon her school-record mark of 45.66m, set last year. Senior Joe Duff (Crosswell, Mich.-Crosswell Lexington (Concordia University)) ranks second in the league in the javelin with a career-best throw of 63.72m.
In multis, freshman Maleah Scott (Farmington, Minn.-Farmington) will compete in the heptathlon.
Following the MAC Outdoor Championships, the Eagles will wait to see who will qualify for the NCAA East Regional Preliminary Championships. The regional competition takes place Wednesday through Saturday, May 25-28, in Bloomington, Ind., hosted by the University of Indiana. 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.
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