Eastern Michigan Athletics
Marchant, Best Earn Annual MAC Indoor Track & Field Honors
2/28/2024 11:15:00 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
Duo was instrumental in Eastern winning the team title in Ypsilanti, Feb. 23-24
CLEVELAND, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) announced its specialty awards for the 2024 track and field season with distance runner Paige Marchant and assistant coach Chris Best garnering honors in a vote of the league coaches that was released today, Feb. 28. The duo played vital roles in the women's team capturing its ninth championship and the 158th MAC title in Eastern Michigan University history, a league best, with Marchant being named the 2024 MAC Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer while Best was selected as the Women's Assistant Coach of the Year.
Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) was masterful on the track as the rookie competed in five races over the course of two days, including two 800m runs, two mile runs, and one 3,000m run. When the racing was over, Marchant was a three-time MAC champion and accounted for 30 of the team's 144.5 points. The fifth woman in MAC history to win the 800m and mile double and the first since 2000, Marchant become just the second woman to add the 3,000m title, joining Eastern alum Domtil Mwei (2000) as the only runners to accomplish the feat.
Following the meet, Marchant collected a pair of awards as she was named the MAC Women's Freshman Track Performer of the Year and the MAC Women's Most Valuable Performer. Her freshman accolade made her the fourth Eagle to earn the honor and the first since Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C./Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts) in 2020 while her most outstanding performer award is the seventh in program history and the first since Jasmine Jones in 2018. Marchant, the only Eagle to earn multiple awards in a single meet, earned the eighth most outstanding performer award in program history and the first since Alsu Bogdanova won three in a row from 2016-18.
Best earned the assistant coaching award after his women's sprints and hurdles group accounted for 45.5 points in the meet. The duo of Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla./The-Out-of-Door-Academy) and Davis finished one-two in the 60m dash for 18 points before Walkes won the 200m to become the 11th woman in MAC history, the seventh in EMU history, and first since Ashlee Abraham in 2011, to win the sprint double. After adding six points in the 400m dash, the 4x400m relay captured the crown in repeat fashion for 10 more points to go along with the 400m leg of the third-place distance medley relay for the final 1.5 points.
The award for Best is the first in his career and the first in program history on the women's side. It stands as the fourth assistant coach honor the overall program has earned with Sterling Roberts (2018 and 2019) and Mark Rinker (2023) being recognized on the men's side previously.
Overall, the Eagles collected six major awards following the indoor championship meet and season. Best was not the only coach honored this year as Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Sue Parks was named the MAC Women's Coach of the Year, giving her the top award for the fourth year in a row after being named for the men's honor in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and the women's honor each of the past two years. It stands as her sixth women's honor (2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, and 2024) at Eastern and her ninth overall with men's honors in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The sixth award earned came from Ryan Johnson (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro), who was named the MAC Men's Freshman Performer of the Year after he won the weight throw with a personal-best toss that nearly qualified him for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
A total of 19 Eagles were named All-MAC recipients as well following the meet. Those student-athletes that won an individual and/or relay event were named to the first team while second-place finishers were named to the second team. The nine women honored included: Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga./Buford/Benedict), Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South), Tijana Japundzic (Belgrade, Serbia/Technical School "New Belgrade"), Noriyah Johnson (Chania, Greece/Second General/Abilene Christian), Marchant, Josephine Oloye (Iwaro-Oka, Nigeria/Geomi Secondary School/Tayelolu Memorial), and Walkes on the first team, and second team honors for Esme Davies (Lake District, England/Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and Davis.
On the men's side, the honorees included: Johnson, Callum Robinson (Goderich, Ontario/St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School/Simon Fraser), and Formula Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College/Nebraska) on the first team, and second-team accolades for Shelton Bass (Warner Robbins, Ga./Houston County/Alderson Broaddus), Ronnie Brandal (Huron, Ohio/Huron), Eric Haddock Jr. (Raleigh, N.C./Southeast Raleigh/Appalachian State), Brendan Hill (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne), Tajay Roberts (Sunrise, Fla./Dillard), Gabe Singh (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview/Oakland), and Almighty Williamson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor/Barton C.C.).
Up Next
The outdoor season awaits the Eagles with the first meet on the schedule coming March 15-16 in Orlando, Fla., at the Black & Gold Invitational hosted by the University of Central Florida.
Follow Us
For all things Eastern track and field, follow the team's social media accounts @EMUXC_TF on X; @emuxc_tf on Instagram; and Eastern Michigan Cross Country & Track and Field on Facebook.
2024 MAC Indoor Track & Field Specialty Awards
Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan, Freshman
Women's Most Outstanding Field Performer: Jenelle Rogers, Ball State, Senior
Women's Assistant Coach of the Year: Chris Best, Eastern Michigan, Sprints
Women's First Team All-MAC
Kyra Buffen, Eastern Michigan
Miranda Cadwell, Eastern Michigan
Tijana Japundzic, Eastern Michigan
Noriyah Johnson, Eastern Michigan
Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan
Josephine Oloye, Eastern Michigan
Saraiah Walkes, Eastern Michigan
Women's Second Team All-MAC
Esme Davies, Eastern Michigan
Alyson Davis, Eastern Michigan
Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Brian Masai, Akron, Sophomore
Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer: Hunter Garretson, Akron, R-Junior
Men's Assistant Coach of the Year: Todd Witzleben, Buffalo, Middle/Distance
Men's First Team All-MAC
Ryan Johnson, Eastern Michigan
Callum Robinson, Eastern Michigan
Formula Thompson, Eastern Michigan
Men's Second Team All-MAC
Shelton Bass, Eastern Michigan
Ronnie Brandal, Eastern Michigan
Eric Haddock Jr., Eastern Michigan
Brendan Hill, Eastern Michigan
Tajay Roberts, Eastern Michigan
Gabe Singh, Eastern Michigan
Almighty Williamson, Eastern Michigan
Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) was masterful on the track as the rookie competed in five races over the course of two days, including two 800m runs, two mile runs, and one 3,000m run. When the racing was over, Marchant was a three-time MAC champion and accounted for 30 of the team's 144.5 points. The fifth woman in MAC history to win the 800m and mile double and the first since 2000, Marchant become just the second woman to add the 3,000m title, joining Eastern alum Domtil Mwei (2000) as the only runners to accomplish the feat.
Following the meet, Marchant collected a pair of awards as she was named the MAC Women's Freshman Track Performer of the Year and the MAC Women's Most Valuable Performer. Her freshman accolade made her the fourth Eagle to earn the honor and the first since Alyson Davis (Summerfield, N.C./Weaver Academy for Performing and Visual Arts) in 2020 while her most outstanding performer award is the seventh in program history and the first since Jasmine Jones in 2018. Marchant, the only Eagle to earn multiple awards in a single meet, earned the eighth most outstanding performer award in program history and the first since Alsu Bogdanova won three in a row from 2016-18.
Best earned the assistant coaching award after his women's sprints and hurdles group accounted for 45.5 points in the meet. The duo of Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla./The-Out-of-Door-Academy) and Davis finished one-two in the 60m dash for 18 points before Walkes won the 200m to become the 11th woman in MAC history, the seventh in EMU history, and first since Ashlee Abraham in 2011, to win the sprint double. After adding six points in the 400m dash, the 4x400m relay captured the crown in repeat fashion for 10 more points to go along with the 400m leg of the third-place distance medley relay for the final 1.5 points.
The award for Best is the first in his career and the first in program history on the women's side. It stands as the fourth assistant coach honor the overall program has earned with Sterling Roberts (2018 and 2019) and Mark Rinker (2023) being recognized on the men's side previously.
Overall, the Eagles collected six major awards following the indoor championship meet and season. Best was not the only coach honored this year as Director of Cross Country and Track & Field Sue Parks was named the MAC Women's Coach of the Year, giving her the top award for the fourth year in a row after being named for the men's honor in 2021, 2022, and 2023, and the women's honor each of the past two years. It stands as her sixth women's honor (2011, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023, and 2024) at Eastern and her ninth overall with men's honors in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The sixth award earned came from Ryan Johnson (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro), who was named the MAC Men's Freshman Performer of the Year after he won the weight throw with a personal-best toss that nearly qualified him for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
A total of 19 Eagles were named All-MAC recipients as well following the meet. Those student-athletes that won an individual and/or relay event were named to the first team while second-place finishers were named to the second team. The nine women honored included: Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga./Buford/Benedict), Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield South), Tijana Japundzic (Belgrade, Serbia/Technical School "New Belgrade"), Noriyah Johnson (Chania, Greece/Second General/Abilene Christian), Marchant, Josephine Oloye (Iwaro-Oka, Nigeria/Geomi Secondary School/Tayelolu Memorial), and Walkes on the first team, and second team honors for Esme Davies (Lake District, England/Queen Elizabeth Grammar School and Davis.
On the men's side, the honorees included: Johnson, Callum Robinson (Goderich, Ontario/St. Anne's Catholic Secondary School/Simon Fraser), and Formula Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College/Nebraska) on the first team, and second-team accolades for Shelton Bass (Warner Robbins, Ga./Houston County/Alderson Broaddus), Ronnie Brandal (Huron, Ohio/Huron), Eric Haddock Jr. (Raleigh, N.C./Southeast Raleigh/Appalachian State), Brendan Hill (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne), Tajay Roberts (Sunrise, Fla./Dillard), Gabe Singh (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview/Oakland), and Almighty Williamson (Baltimore, Md./Digital Harbor/Barton C.C.).
Up Next
The outdoor season awaits the Eagles with the first meet on the schedule coming March 15-16 in Orlando, Fla., at the Black & Gold Invitational hosted by the University of Central Florida.
Follow Us
For all things Eastern track and field, follow the team's social media accounts @EMUXC_TF on X; @emuxc_tf on Instagram; and Eastern Michigan Cross Country & Track and Field on Facebook.
2024 MAC Indoor Track & Field Specialty Awards
Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan, Freshman
Women's Most Outstanding Field Performer: Jenelle Rogers, Ball State, Senior
Women's Assistant Coach of the Year: Chris Best, Eastern Michigan, Sprints
Women's First Team All-MAC
Kyra Buffen, Eastern Michigan
Miranda Cadwell, Eastern Michigan
Tijana Japundzic, Eastern Michigan
Noriyah Johnson, Eastern Michigan
Paige Marchant, Eastern Michigan
Josephine Oloye, Eastern Michigan
Saraiah Walkes, Eastern Michigan
Women's Second Team All-MAC
Esme Davies, Eastern Michigan
Alyson Davis, Eastern Michigan
Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer: Brian Masai, Akron, Sophomore
Men's Most Outstanding Field Performer: Hunter Garretson, Akron, R-Junior
Men's Assistant Coach of the Year: Todd Witzleben, Buffalo, Middle/Distance
Men's First Team All-MAC
Ryan Johnson, Eastern Michigan
Callum Robinson, Eastern Michigan
Formula Thompson, Eastern Michigan
Men's Second Team All-MAC
Shelton Bass, Eastern Michigan
Ronnie Brandal, Eastern Michigan
Eric Haddock Jr., Eastern Michigan
Brendan Hill, Eastern Michigan
Tajay Roberts, Eastern Michigan
Gabe Singh, Eastern Michigan
Almighty Williamson, Eastern Michigan
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Distance
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
High Jump
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Distance
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field2025-26 EMU Athletics In-Review
Tuesday, April 21
Thank You from EMU Cross Country/Track & Field!
Monday, December 01
Giving Tuesday 2025 - EMU Cross Country/Track & Field
Monday, December 01
Giving Tuesday 2025 - Eastern Michigan Track & Field
Monday, December 01