Eastern Michigan Athletics
Track and Filed Preps for Wolverine Invitational
1/9/2025 10:52:00 AM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
The meet will begin with field events at 10:30 a.m. at the U-M Indoor Track Building In Ann Arbor, Mich.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University track & field programs are slated to compete for the first time in 2025 as they will attend the nearby Wolverine Invitational, hosted by the University of Michigan, at the U-M Indoor Track Building Saturday, Jan. 11. The meet will begin at 10:30 a.m. and run through a majority of the day.
The meet will begin with field events at 10:30 a.m. with running events starting at 11 a.m. Fans can tune into a meet live stream here, and follow along with live results here. A post-meet recap will be posted to EMUEagles.com.
LAST TIME AT WOLVERINE INVITATIONAL
The Eagles last competed at the Wolverine Invitational Jan. 13, 2024. That day, the programs totaled 21 personal-best performances with 11 from the women's team and 10 from the men's. The men's team secured three first-place finishes. Brendan Hill (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) won the long jump with a 2.07m (6-09.50) leap, Yvan Lopes Ribeiro captured gold in the long jump, soaring 7.09m (23-03.25), and Ryan Johnson won the weight throw with a 20.31m (66-07.75) heave.
EZECHUKWUCHIRI AND OLOYE: MAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Nigeria native Lucky Ezechukwuchiri (Nimo, Nigeria/Busy International Secondary) and Josephine Oloye (Iwaro-Oka, Nigeria/Geomi Secondary School/Tayelolu Memorial) were each named MAC Athletes of the Week, Dec. 10. Ezechukwuchiri earned the honor for the first time after starting his collegiate career with a second-place 2.09-meter (6-10.25) performance in the high jump at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Ezechukwuchiri's bounce stands as the best in the MAC thus far and 15th-best in the NCAA. Furthermore, his second-place finish came with the first-place finisher, GVSU's Eli Kosiba, tying the NCAA Division II record with a 2.30-meter (7-06.50) leap.
Oloye also captured her first athlete of the week honors with a first-place outing in the 400-meter dash at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Oloye crossed the finish line in 54.68, a time that ranks as the best in the MAC thus far, third in the NCAA, stands ninth in EMU program history, and marks a personal-best for the sophomore.
LAST TIME OUT: AT GVSU HOLIDAY OPEN, DEC. 6
In a meet that had no team scoring, the women led the way as they posted 13 top-three finishes and set four marks that landed inside the program top-10, while the men notched four top-three finishes. In total, the Eagles recorded 52 collegiate personal-best marks with the men setting 27 and the women 24.
EMU WOMEN IN THE PROGRAM TOP-10
Oloye and Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla./The-Out-of-Door-Academy) ran the No. 9 and No. 10 fastest indoor 400-meters in EMU women's history, respectively. Oloye finished first in 54.68 while Walkes placed second in 54.79. Walkes' time serves as the second-best in the MAC and seventh-fastest in the nation. Marta Moreno (Wassenaar, Netherlands/American School of "The Hague") clocked the program's eighth-fastest indoor 5,000-meter with a fourth-place finish in 16:31.78, a time that stands as the third-best in the conference. Aleah Johnson (Botkins, Ohio/Botkins) started her season strong, tossing Eastern's seventh-farthest weight throw with a 16.65-meter (54-07.50) mark, good for the sixth-best throw in the MAC.
FREQUENT VISITORS
The Wolverine Invitational will mark the first of four times the Eagles will compete at Michigan. Following the meet, Eastern will see action at the Michigan Invitational, Feb. 8, the Silverston Invitational, Feb. 21, and the Len Paddock Open, May 9.
Previously Noted
DEFENDING THE CROWN
The Eagles' women's team captured its ninth MAC title at the 2024 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. It is looking to secure its 10th title in the 2025 indoor season. A victory at the MAC Indoor Championships would mark the first three-peat from the women's team in program history.
RETURNING MAC CHAMPS
The men return one former MAC Champion in Formula Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College/Nebraska). Thompson won the long jump at the indoor championships with a 7.68m (25-02.50) jump and the triple jump at the outdoor championships, bounding 15.57m (51-01.00).
On the women's side, EMU returns former MAC champions Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga./Buford-Benedict), Walkes and Paige Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central). Buffen won the triple jump at both the indoor and outdoor conference meets with her best mark coming at the outdoor meet, leaping 12.64m (41-05.75). Walkes captured individual conference titles in the indoor season in the 200-meter dash (24.15) and the 60-meter dash (7.44). Marchant earned three individual championships at the MAC Indoor Championships, winning the 800-meter (2:10.26), mile (4:49.67), and 3000-meter (9:25.38). She also set the women's indoor mile record last season, finishing the race in 4:38.91, Feb. 10. Tijana Japundzic (Belgrade, Serbia/Technical School "New Belgrade"), Oloye, and Walkes also earned titles in the 4x400m relay, as they crossed the finish line in 3:44.74.
2024 MAC HONORS
Marchant was named the MAC Women's Most Valuable Track Performer and Most Outstanding Track Performer in the indoor season. Now Associate Head Coach, Sue Parks was named MAC Women's Coach of the Year while former Associate Head Coach and now Co-Director of Cross Country/Track & Field, Chris Best, earned Women's Assistant Coach of the Year after the indoor championships.
ALL-MAC RETURNERS – INDOOR SEASON
Eastern returns 11 All-MAC honorees from the indoor season.
Women's All-MAC Returners
Kyra Buffen
Tijana Japundzic
Paige Marchant
Josephine Oloye
Saraiah Walkes
Men's All-MAC Returners
Formula Thompson
Shelton Bass (Warner Robbins, Ga./Houston County/Alderson Broaddus)
Eric Haddock Jr. (Raleigh, N.C./Southeast Raleigh/Appalachian State)
Brendan Hill
Tajay Roberts (Sunrise, Fla./Dillard)
Gabe Singh (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview/Oakland)
ALL-MAC RETURNERS – OUTDOOR SEASON
The Eagles return seven All-MAC athletes from the outdoor season.
Women's All-MAC Returners
Kyra Buffen
Paige Marchant
Saraiah Walkes
Josephine Oloye
Men's All-MAC Returners
Formula Thompson
Gabe Singh
Jake McEachern (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Comprehensive)
NEW COACHES
The Eagles have adjusted their coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Best and Sterling Roberts have been promoted to Directors of Cross Country/Track & Field. Best will take on the head coaching duties for the women's team while Roberts will do so for the men's. Parks opted to return to hands-on coaching duties and will serve as an Associate Head Coach while still acting as the Head Women's Cross Country Coach. Eastern added two newcomers to the coaching staff in Austin Whitelaw (distance) and Nia Henderson (throws). Whitelaw comes to Ypsilanti after most recently serving as an assistant track & field/cross country coach as well as recruiting coordinator for the University of Connecticut (2022-24). Henderson brings five years of NAIA coaching experience with her as she oversaw nine NAIA All-Americans at nearby Madonna University. She was also named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Assistant Coach of the Year in 2023.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Eastern thrower McEachern excelled at the Canadian U20 track & field championships. He won the hammer throw (67.32m – 220-10), shotput (15.93m – 52-03.16), and discus (49.22m – 161-05) events at the Canadian U20 Track & Field Championships. Joining him in competing nationally was Thompson, who saw action at the Jamaican Olympic Trials in the long and triple jump. Kayenn Mabin (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Central) also earned himself a spot at the USA U20 Track & Field Championships in the 110-meter hurdles.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will host their first indoor meet of the season in the Second Annual Bob Parks Memorial, at Bowen Field House, in Ypsilanti, Mich., Saturday, Jan. 25.
FOLLOW US
For updates on all things EMU cross country/track & field, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the team on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @EMUXC_TF.
The meet will begin with field events at 10:30 a.m. with running events starting at 11 a.m. Fans can tune into a meet live stream here, and follow along with live results here. A post-meet recap will be posted to EMUEagles.com.
LAST TIME AT WOLVERINE INVITATIONAL
The Eagles last competed at the Wolverine Invitational Jan. 13, 2024. That day, the programs totaled 21 personal-best performances with 11 from the women's team and 10 from the men's. The men's team secured three first-place finishes. Brendan Hill (Huber Heights, Ohio/Wayne) won the long jump with a 2.07m (6-09.50) leap, Yvan Lopes Ribeiro captured gold in the long jump, soaring 7.09m (23-03.25), and Ryan Johnson won the weight throw with a 20.31m (66-07.75) heave.
EZECHUKWUCHIRI AND OLOYE: MAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Nigeria native Lucky Ezechukwuchiri (Nimo, Nigeria/Busy International Secondary) and Josephine Oloye (Iwaro-Oka, Nigeria/Geomi Secondary School/Tayelolu Memorial) were each named MAC Athletes of the Week, Dec. 10. Ezechukwuchiri earned the honor for the first time after starting his collegiate career with a second-place 2.09-meter (6-10.25) performance in the high jump at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Ezechukwuchiri's bounce stands as the best in the MAC thus far and 15th-best in the NCAA. Furthermore, his second-place finish came with the first-place finisher, GVSU's Eli Kosiba, tying the NCAA Division II record with a 2.30-meter (7-06.50) leap.
Oloye also captured her first athlete of the week honors with a first-place outing in the 400-meter dash at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Oloye crossed the finish line in 54.68, a time that ranks as the best in the MAC thus far, third in the NCAA, stands ninth in EMU program history, and marks a personal-best for the sophomore.
LAST TIME OUT: AT GVSU HOLIDAY OPEN, DEC. 6
In a meet that had no team scoring, the women led the way as they posted 13 top-three finishes and set four marks that landed inside the program top-10, while the men notched four top-three finishes. In total, the Eagles recorded 52 collegiate personal-best marks with the men setting 27 and the women 24.
EMU WOMEN IN THE PROGRAM TOP-10
Oloye and Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla./The-Out-of-Door-Academy) ran the No. 9 and No. 10 fastest indoor 400-meters in EMU women's history, respectively. Oloye finished first in 54.68 while Walkes placed second in 54.79. Walkes' time serves as the second-best in the MAC and seventh-fastest in the nation. Marta Moreno (Wassenaar, Netherlands/American School of "The Hague") clocked the program's eighth-fastest indoor 5,000-meter with a fourth-place finish in 16:31.78, a time that stands as the third-best in the conference. Aleah Johnson (Botkins, Ohio/Botkins) started her season strong, tossing Eastern's seventh-farthest weight throw with a 16.65-meter (54-07.50) mark, good for the sixth-best throw in the MAC.
FREQUENT VISITORS
The Wolverine Invitational will mark the first of four times the Eagles will compete at Michigan. Following the meet, Eastern will see action at the Michigan Invitational, Feb. 8, the Silverston Invitational, Feb. 21, and the Len Paddock Open, May 9.
Previously Noted
DEFENDING THE CROWN
The Eagles' women's team captured its ninth MAC title at the 2024 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. It is looking to secure its 10th title in the 2025 indoor season. A victory at the MAC Indoor Championships would mark the first three-peat from the women's team in program history.
RETURNING MAC CHAMPS
The men return one former MAC Champion in Formula Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College/Nebraska). Thompson won the long jump at the indoor championships with a 7.68m (25-02.50) jump and the triple jump at the outdoor championships, bounding 15.57m (51-01.00).
On the women's side, EMU returns former MAC champions Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga./Buford-Benedict), Walkes and Paige Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central). Buffen won the triple jump at both the indoor and outdoor conference meets with her best mark coming at the outdoor meet, leaping 12.64m (41-05.75). Walkes captured individual conference titles in the indoor season in the 200-meter dash (24.15) and the 60-meter dash (7.44). Marchant earned three individual championships at the MAC Indoor Championships, winning the 800-meter (2:10.26), mile (4:49.67), and 3000-meter (9:25.38). She also set the women's indoor mile record last season, finishing the race in 4:38.91, Feb. 10. Tijana Japundzic (Belgrade, Serbia/Technical School "New Belgrade"), Oloye, and Walkes also earned titles in the 4x400m relay, as they crossed the finish line in 3:44.74.
2024 MAC HONORS
Marchant was named the MAC Women's Most Valuable Track Performer and Most Outstanding Track Performer in the indoor season. Now Associate Head Coach, Sue Parks was named MAC Women's Coach of the Year while former Associate Head Coach and now Co-Director of Cross Country/Track & Field, Chris Best, earned Women's Assistant Coach of the Year after the indoor championships.
ALL-MAC RETURNERS – INDOOR SEASON
Eastern returns 11 All-MAC honorees from the indoor season.
Women's All-MAC Returners
Kyra Buffen
Tijana Japundzic
Paige Marchant
Josephine Oloye
Saraiah Walkes
Men's All-MAC Returners
Formula Thompson
Shelton Bass (Warner Robbins, Ga./Houston County/Alderson Broaddus)
Eric Haddock Jr. (Raleigh, N.C./Southeast Raleigh/Appalachian State)
Brendan Hill
Tajay Roberts (Sunrise, Fla./Dillard)
Gabe Singh (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview/Oakland)
ALL-MAC RETURNERS – OUTDOOR SEASON
The Eagles return seven All-MAC athletes from the outdoor season.
Women's All-MAC Returners
Kyra Buffen
Paige Marchant
Saraiah Walkes
Josephine Oloye
Men's All-MAC Returners
Formula Thompson
Gabe Singh
Jake McEachern (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Comprehensive)
NEW COACHES
The Eagles have adjusted their coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Best and Sterling Roberts have been promoted to Directors of Cross Country/Track & Field. Best will take on the head coaching duties for the women's team while Roberts will do so for the men's. Parks opted to return to hands-on coaching duties and will serve as an Associate Head Coach while still acting as the Head Women's Cross Country Coach. Eastern added two newcomers to the coaching staff in Austin Whitelaw (distance) and Nia Henderson (throws). Whitelaw comes to Ypsilanti after most recently serving as an assistant track & field/cross country coach as well as recruiting coordinator for the University of Connecticut (2022-24). Henderson brings five years of NAIA coaching experience with her as she oversaw nine NAIA All-Americans at nearby Madonna University. She was also named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Assistant Coach of the Year in 2023.
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Eastern thrower McEachern excelled at the Canadian U20 track & field championships. He won the hammer throw (67.32m – 220-10), shotput (15.93m – 52-03.16), and discus (49.22m – 161-05) events at the Canadian U20 Track & Field Championships. Joining him in competing nationally was Thompson, who saw action at the Jamaican Olympic Trials in the long and triple jump. Kayenn Mabin (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Central) also earned himself a spot at the USA U20 Track & Field Championships in the 110-meter hurdles.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will host their first indoor meet of the season in the Second Annual Bob Parks Memorial, at Bowen Field House, in Ypsilanti, Mich., Saturday, Jan. 25.
FOLLOW US
For updates on all things EMU cross country/track & field, continue to check EMUEagles.com or follow the team on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @EMUXC_TF.
Players Mentioned
Sprints
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Women's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
High Jump
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Women's Track & Field
Throws
/ Men's Track & Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Distance
/ 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/Hurdles
/ Men's Track & Field
Jumps
/ Men's Track & Field
Sprints
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