Eastern Michigan Athletics
Friday, February 28
Ypsilanti, Mich.
10 a.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
MAC Indoor Championships
Photo by: Steve King/KingStudios
Track & Field Seeks Conference Titles as Eagles Prep to Host MAC Indoor Championships
2/26/2025 12:00:00 PM | Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
The meet will start at 10 a.m., Friday-Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1, at Bowen Field House
Purchase Tickets | Live Timing | Parking Map
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The winningest indoor track & field programs in indoor Mid-American Conference history, the Eastern Michigan University Eagles, will seek MAC titles as the Eagles will host the MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second consecutive season at Bowen Field House, on the campus of Eastern Michigan, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1. The meet will begin at 10 a.m. both days.
EMU will welcome teams from the University of Akron (M/W), Ball State University (W), Bowling Green State University (W), the University at Buffalo (M/W), Central Michigan University (W), Kent State University (M/W), Miami University (M/W), Northern Illinois University (W), Ohio University (W), the University of Toledo (W), and Western Michigan University (W) to Ypsilanti.
Fans can purchase tickets, access a schedule of events, heat sheets, a parking map, live results, and further meet information on the EMU track & field schedule page here. A post-meet recap will be posted to EMUEagles.com with official results attached. Be sure to stay tuned to EMU cross country/track & field social medias on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @EMUXC_TF Eastern track & field content.
WOMEN LAST TIME AT MAC INDOORS
On the strength of seven individual and one relay title, the Eastern women's team claimed its ninth (MAC) indoor title as the Eagles ran away with the title, Feb. 24, 2024. Paige Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) claimed three individual titles on the track to lead the women as the Eagles scored 144.5 points to win the crown for the second consecutive year.
Marchant and Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla./The-Out-of-Door-Academy) were instrumental in the team's victory as the duo combined to score 52.5 points. Marchant was responsible for 30 points as she won the 800m in 2:10.26; the mile run in 4:49.67; and the 3,000m run in a meet-record time of 9:25.38. Walkes raced to times of 7.44 in the 60m dash and 24.15 in the 200m for her victory while running the lead leg of the victorious 4x400m relay that clocked in at 3:44.74.
MEN LAST TIME AT MAC INDOORS
The men placed second, scoring 140 points while Kent State won with 155 points. Eastern was led by Yvan Lopes Ribeiro, who scored 18 points after finishing third in a trio of events, including the 60m hurdles, the long jump, and the triple jump. Callum Robinson earned 14 points for the team after taking the 200m title and placing fourth in the 60m dash while Formula Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College/Nebraska) also added 14 points with his win in the long jump and fourth-place finish in the triple.
EMU ALL-TIME AT MAC INDOORS
The most decorated MAC track & field program, the Eastern men have 18 MAC Indoor Championships, the most of any team in the conference, including winning the first nine from 1996-2004. The program recently won three consecutively from 2021-23. The women also hold the most MAC indoor crowns in the conference with eight. They are seeking the first indoor three-peat in program history after winning in 2023 and 2024, and the first in the conference since the Kent State women won from 2012-14. Should the Eagles women's team win, it would mark the third three-peat in indoor MAC history on the women's side.
LAST TIME OUT: AT SILVERSTON INVITATIONAL, FEB. 21
The Eagles last saw action at the Silverston Invitational, hosted by Michigan, Feb. 21. The Eastern programs combined for nine first-place finishes, 24 personal-best (PR) marks, and one mark that landed inside the program top-10 leaderboards. Notably, Nicolette Lewis (Douglasville, Ga./Hoover) won the women's weight throw with a personal-best 16.43m (53-11.00) mark, ranking her 10th in program history.
TOP CONFERENCE TIMES/MARKS: MEN
The EMU men currently own 18 marks that rank inside the conference top five.
Event Name Mark Rank
200m Bamidele Ajayi 21.67 4
400M Bamidele Ajayi 47.72 3
800m Carson McCoy 1:50.28 1
Mile Kian Wiles 4:01.84 1
5000m Sam Peterson 14:22.88 4
5000m Kian Wiles 14:33.07 5
60mH Leo Ignacio 8.25 5
4x400m Roberts, Ajayi, Olanrewaju, Singh 3:11.69 2
High Jump Lucky Fiaku 2.10m 1
High Jump Ousman Kamara 2.05m T5
High Jump Brendan Hill 2.05m T5
Long Jump Formula Thompson 7.52m 1
Long Jump Samuel Jeffery 7.15m 3
Triple Jump Formula Thompson 15.07m 2
Weight Throw Jake McEachern 18.64m 2
Hep Samuel Jeffery 4,924 2
Hep Cason Doolittle 4,427 4
Hep Julien Badoo 4,152 5
TOP CONFERENCE TIMES/MARKS: WOMEN
The EMU women currently own 13 marks that rank inside the conference top five.
Event Name Mark Rank
60m Saraiah Walkes 7.46 2
200m Saraiah Walkes 23.63 1
200m Josephine Oloye 24.06 5
400m Saraiah Walkes 53.38 3
400m Josephine Oloye 53.89 4
800m Chloie Musta 2:08.26 3
3000m Marta Moreno 9:18.92 4
5000m Marta Moreno 16:31.78 4
4x400m Walkes, Arscott, Biehl, Oloye 3:43.59 1
DMR Musta, Biehl, Emin, Henderson 11:52.52 3
High Jump Micah Martin 1.77m 1
Triple Jump Kyra Buffen 12.20m 3
Triple Jump Mariia Yelanska 12.18m T4
USTFCCCA RANKINGS
The women's team is ranked as the best team in the MAC according to the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) while the men slot second behind Akron. Regionally, the women check in as the 10th ranked team in the Great Lakes Region and the men slot 12th.
USTFCCCA EVENT SQUAD RANKINGS
The Eastern women rank 15th nationally in the triple jump according to the USTFCCCA Event Squad rankings with Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga./Buford/Benedict) possessing the best jump, a 12.20m (40-00.50) mark. The Eastern men rank in the top 30 nationally in the high jump, slotting 27th. Lucky Fiaku (Nimo, Nigeria/Busy International Secondary) holds the top high jump of the season from the men's team with a 2.10m (6-10.75) bounce.
EMU WOMEN IN THE PROGRAM TOP-10
The Eastern women have set 17 program top 10 marks this season. Most recently at the Silverston Invitational, Lewis made her mark with the program's 10th best weight throw mark at 16.43m (53-11.00) for a first-place finish.
EMU MEN IN THE PROGRAM TOP-10
Samuel Jeffery (Fonthill, Ontario/E.L. Crossley Secondary) raked in five heptathlon top 10 times at the Jet's Pizza Invitational, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, doing so in the 1000m run (No. 4 – 2:47.13), long jump (No. 5 – 6.81m), day one scoring (No. 5 – 2,825), day two scoring (No. 7 – 2,099), and high jump (No. 8 – 1.88m). Joining him with program top 10 heptathlon marks was Cason Doolittle (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty Benton), who set the heptathlon program record in the 1000m, finishing in 2:44.01, before recording the ninth-best 60m hurdles time in 8.76. Freshman Julien Badoo (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) also wrote his name in the record book with the seventh-best heptathlon 1000m run in 2:54.10.
Previously Noted
AT TIGER PAW INVITATIONAL, FEB. 14-15
Walkes ran two PRs, two MAC top-three times, and set two program No. 2 times at the Tiger Paw Invitational, Feb. 14-15. She ran the 200m dash in a MAC-best and PR 23.63, before running the 400m in 53.38. Josephine Oloye (Iwaro-Oka, Nigeria/Geomi Secondary School/Tayelolu Memorial) also ran a program top 10 mark at the Tiger Paw Invitational, setting a PR and the fifth-best time in program history with a 53.89 400m.
The 4x400m relay team of Tajay Roberts (Sunrise, Fla./Dillard), Bamidele Ajayi (Eikiti State, Nigeria/Metropolitan International College/Lenoir-Rhyne), Olawole Olanrewaju (Akoko North-West, Nigeria/Wallas Universal Secondary/School Lenoir-Rhyne), and Gabe Singh (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview/Oakland) tabbed a MAC-best time, finishing in 3:11.69, nearly two seconds faster than the second-best time held by Akron.
AT GVSU BIG MEET, FEB. 14-15
The men were led by the distance team. Kian Wiles (Hull, England/St. Mary's College) bettered his MAC-best mile time by roughly two seconds, crossing the line first in a PR 4:01.84. The run marked his second consecutive personal record in the event and his 4:01.84 time falls just .59 seconds away from the 10th-fastest time in program history. Micah Martin (Clinton Township, Mich./L'Anse Creuse) and Chloie Musta (Mesick, Mich./Cadillac) headlined the women's performances at GVSU. Martin placed second in the high jump invite with a conference best and PR 1.77m (5-09.75) leap, taking sole control of the fourth-best mark in program history. Musta excelled in the 800m, placing second in 2:08.26, setting a personal record by over one second while marking the sixth-fastest time in program annals. Furthermore, Musta's 800m stands as the third-best in the conference.
CARSON MCCOY MAC MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
McCoy earned the first conference athlete of the week award of his career after running a personal record and MAC-best 1:50.28 800m at the Michigan Invitational, Feb. 8. The award marked the Eagles third of the season as Fiaku and Oloye previously earned the honor, Dec. 10. Fiaku earned men's field athlete of the week and Oloye grabbed women's track athlete of the week.
AT JET'S PIZZA INVITATIONAL & MEYO INVITATIONAL, JAN. 31-FEB. 1
Freshman multi athlete Shay Clemetson (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) highlighted the Eagles' performances at the Jet's Pizza Invitational, hosted by Saginaw Valley State, as she won the pentathlon with 3,379 points. Jeffery placed second in the heptathlon for the men with 4,924 points, the second-best hep mark in the MAC this season.
Wiles and Moreno headlined the Eastern performances at the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame. Wiles placed second out of 37 student athletes in the open mile in 4:03.26, a time that stands as the top in the MAC and a personal best while Moreno raced against elite competition in the 3000m final, finishing 11th out of 27 student athletes while shattering her previous personal best by nearly 27 seconds, finishing in 9:18.92. Her time stands as fifth best in program history and the fourth fastest in the conference.
VS. BOB PARKS MEMORIAL, JAN. 25
The Eastern women's team led the day for the Eagles. It won six events and placed in the top three 14 times while landing one mark inside the program top 10, and collected 13 collegiate personal records. The men had similar success, as they claimed five events, tabbed 14 top-three finishes, and earned 17 PRs.
AT WOLVERINE INVITATIONAL, JAN. 11
Oloye highlighted the EMU women's performances as she broke the program record in the 300m dash, tying for first in 38.05. Buffen joined her with a first-place finish in the triple jump with an 11.79m (38-08.25) bound. For the men, Thompson placed first in the triple jump with a mark of 15.07m (49-05.50) while both McCoy and Fiaku earned second-place outings. McCoy earned silver in the 600m dash in 1:19.25 while Fiaku collected his second consecutive second-place finish in the high jump, leaping 2.06m (6-09.00).
FIAKU AND OLOYE: MAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Nigeria natives Fiaku and Oloye were each named MAC Athletes of the Week, Dec. 10. Fiaku earned the honor for the first time after starting his collegiate career with a second-place 2.09m (6-10.25) performance in the high jump at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Furthermore, his second-place finish came with the first-place finisher, GVSU's Eli Kosiba, tying the NCAA Division II record with a 2.30m (7-06.50) leap.
Oloye also captured her first athlete of the week honors with a first-place outing in the 400m dash at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Oloye crossed the finish line in 54.68, a time that ranked as the third best in the MAC, 39th fastest in the NCAA, stands ninth in EMU program history, and marked a personal best for the sophomore.
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.
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 Thompson. He 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 Buffen, Walkes, and Marchant. 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 200m dash (24.15) and the 60m dash (7.44). Marchant earned three individual championships at the MAC Indoor Championships, winning the 800m (2:10.26), mile (4:49.67), and 3000m (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
Eric Haddock Jr.
Brendan Hill
Tajay Roberts
Gabe Singh
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
NEW COACHES
The Eagles have adjusted their coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Chris 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. Sue 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 110m hurdles.
UP NEXT
The indoor season will conclude with the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, Friday-Saturday, March 14-15, hosted by the city of Virginia Beach, Va., at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. A list of meet participants will be available Tuesday, March 4. Should no Eagles make the cut, the next time they will be in action would be in the outdoor season, as they are set to open the outdoor portion of the schedule with the Texas Relays, Bobcat Invitational & Multis, and the Raleigh Relays, March 27-29.
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.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The winningest indoor track & field programs in indoor Mid-American Conference history, the Eastern Michigan University Eagles, will seek MAC titles as the Eagles will host the MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships for the second consecutive season at Bowen Field House, on the campus of Eastern Michigan, Friday-Saturday, Feb. 28-March 1. The meet will begin at 10 a.m. both days.
EMU will welcome teams from the University of Akron (M/W), Ball State University (W), Bowling Green State University (W), the University at Buffalo (M/W), Central Michigan University (W), Kent State University (M/W), Miami University (M/W), Northern Illinois University (W), Ohio University (W), the University of Toledo (W), and Western Michigan University (W) to Ypsilanti.
Fans can purchase tickets, access a schedule of events, heat sheets, a parking map, live results, and further meet information on the EMU track & field schedule page here. A post-meet recap will be posted to EMUEagles.com with official results attached. Be sure to stay tuned to EMU cross country/track & field social medias on Instagram, X, and Facebook at @EMUXC_TF Eastern track & field content.
WOMEN LAST TIME AT MAC INDOORS
On the strength of seven individual and one relay title, the Eastern women's team claimed its ninth (MAC) indoor title as the Eagles ran away with the title, Feb. 24, 2024. Paige Marchant (London, Ontario/Catholic Central) claimed three individual titles on the track to lead the women as the Eagles scored 144.5 points to win the crown for the second consecutive year.
Marchant and Saraiah Walkes (Manatee County, Fla./The-Out-of-Door-Academy) were instrumental in the team's victory as the duo combined to score 52.5 points. Marchant was responsible for 30 points as she won the 800m in 2:10.26; the mile run in 4:49.67; and the 3,000m run in a meet-record time of 9:25.38. Walkes raced to times of 7.44 in the 60m dash and 24.15 in the 200m for her victory while running the lead leg of the victorious 4x400m relay that clocked in at 3:44.74.
MEN LAST TIME AT MAC INDOORS
The men placed second, scoring 140 points while Kent State won with 155 points. Eastern was led by Yvan Lopes Ribeiro, who scored 18 points after finishing third in a trio of events, including the 60m hurdles, the long jump, and the triple jump. Callum Robinson earned 14 points for the team after taking the 200m title and placing fourth in the 60m dash while Formula Thompson (St. Catherine, Jamaica/Jamaica College/Nebraska) also added 14 points with his win in the long jump and fourth-place finish in the triple.
EMU ALL-TIME AT MAC INDOORS
The most decorated MAC track & field program, the Eastern men have 18 MAC Indoor Championships, the most of any team in the conference, including winning the first nine from 1996-2004. The program recently won three consecutively from 2021-23. The women also hold the most MAC indoor crowns in the conference with eight. They are seeking the first indoor three-peat in program history after winning in 2023 and 2024, and the first in the conference since the Kent State women won from 2012-14. Should the Eagles women's team win, it would mark the third three-peat in indoor MAC history on the women's side.
LAST TIME OUT: AT SILVERSTON INVITATIONAL, FEB. 21
The Eagles last saw action at the Silverston Invitational, hosted by Michigan, Feb. 21. The Eastern programs combined for nine first-place finishes, 24 personal-best (PR) marks, and one mark that landed inside the program top-10 leaderboards. Notably, Nicolette Lewis (Douglasville, Ga./Hoover) won the women's weight throw with a personal-best 16.43m (53-11.00) mark, ranking her 10th in program history.
TOP CONFERENCE TIMES/MARKS: MEN
The EMU men currently own 18 marks that rank inside the conference top five.
Event Name Mark Rank
200m Bamidele Ajayi 21.67 4
400M Bamidele Ajayi 47.72 3
800m Carson McCoy 1:50.28 1
Mile Kian Wiles 4:01.84 1
5000m Sam Peterson 14:22.88 4
5000m Kian Wiles 14:33.07 5
60mH Leo Ignacio 8.25 5
4x400m Roberts, Ajayi, Olanrewaju, Singh 3:11.69 2
High Jump Lucky Fiaku 2.10m 1
High Jump Ousman Kamara 2.05m T5
High Jump Brendan Hill 2.05m T5
Long Jump Formula Thompson 7.52m 1
Long Jump Samuel Jeffery 7.15m 3
Triple Jump Formula Thompson 15.07m 2
Weight Throw Jake McEachern 18.64m 2
Hep Samuel Jeffery 4,924 2
Hep Cason Doolittle 4,427 4
Hep Julien Badoo 4,152 5
TOP CONFERENCE TIMES/MARKS: WOMEN
The EMU women currently own 13 marks that rank inside the conference top five.
Event Name Mark Rank
60m Saraiah Walkes 7.46 2
200m Saraiah Walkes 23.63 1
200m Josephine Oloye 24.06 5
400m Saraiah Walkes 53.38 3
400m Josephine Oloye 53.89 4
800m Chloie Musta 2:08.26 3
3000m Marta Moreno 9:18.92 4
5000m Marta Moreno 16:31.78 4
4x400m Walkes, Arscott, Biehl, Oloye 3:43.59 1
DMR Musta, Biehl, Emin, Henderson 11:52.52 3
High Jump Micah Martin 1.77m 1
Triple Jump Kyra Buffen 12.20m 3
Triple Jump Mariia Yelanska 12.18m T4
USTFCCCA RANKINGS
The women's team is ranked as the best team in the MAC according to the United States Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) while the men slot second behind Akron. Regionally, the women check in as the 10th ranked team in the Great Lakes Region and the men slot 12th.
USTFCCCA EVENT SQUAD RANKINGS
The Eastern women rank 15th nationally in the triple jump according to the USTFCCCA Event Squad rankings with Kyra Buffen (Columbus, Ga./Buford/Benedict) possessing the best jump, a 12.20m (40-00.50) mark. The Eastern men rank in the top 30 nationally in the high jump, slotting 27th. Lucky Fiaku (Nimo, Nigeria/Busy International Secondary) holds the top high jump of the season from the men's team with a 2.10m (6-10.75) bounce.
EMU WOMEN IN THE PROGRAM TOP-10
The Eastern women have set 17 program top 10 marks this season. Most recently at the Silverston Invitational, Lewis made her mark with the program's 10th best weight throw mark at 16.43m (53-11.00) for a first-place finish.
EMU MEN IN THE PROGRAM TOP-10
Samuel Jeffery (Fonthill, Ontario/E.L. Crossley Secondary) raked in five heptathlon top 10 times at the Jet's Pizza Invitational, Jan. 31-Feb. 1, doing so in the 1000m run (No. 4 – 2:47.13), long jump (No. 5 – 6.81m), day one scoring (No. 5 – 2,825), day two scoring (No. 7 – 2,099), and high jump (No. 8 – 1.88m). Joining him with program top 10 heptathlon marks was Cason Doolittle (Findlay, Ohio/Liberty Benton), who set the heptathlon program record in the 1000m, finishing in 2:44.01, before recording the ninth-best 60m hurdles time in 8.76. Freshman Julien Badoo (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) also wrote his name in the record book with the seventh-best heptathlon 1000m run in 2:54.10.
Previously Noted
AT TIGER PAW INVITATIONAL, FEB. 14-15
Walkes ran two PRs, two MAC top-three times, and set two program No. 2 times at the Tiger Paw Invitational, Feb. 14-15. She ran the 200m dash in a MAC-best and PR 23.63, before running the 400m in 53.38. Josephine Oloye (Iwaro-Oka, Nigeria/Geomi Secondary School/Tayelolu Memorial) also ran a program top 10 mark at the Tiger Paw Invitational, setting a PR and the fifth-best time in program history with a 53.89 400m.
The 4x400m relay team of Tajay Roberts (Sunrise, Fla./Dillard), Bamidele Ajayi (Eikiti State, Nigeria/Metropolitan International College/Lenoir-Rhyne), Olawole Olanrewaju (Akoko North-West, Nigeria/Wallas Universal Secondary/School Lenoir-Rhyne), and Gabe Singh (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Northview/Oakland) tabbed a MAC-best time, finishing in 3:11.69, nearly two seconds faster than the second-best time held by Akron.
AT GVSU BIG MEET, FEB. 14-15
The men were led by the distance team. Kian Wiles (Hull, England/St. Mary's College) bettered his MAC-best mile time by roughly two seconds, crossing the line first in a PR 4:01.84. The run marked his second consecutive personal record in the event and his 4:01.84 time falls just .59 seconds away from the 10th-fastest time in program history. Micah Martin (Clinton Township, Mich./L'Anse Creuse) and Chloie Musta (Mesick, Mich./Cadillac) headlined the women's performances at GVSU. Martin placed second in the high jump invite with a conference best and PR 1.77m (5-09.75) leap, taking sole control of the fourth-best mark in program history. Musta excelled in the 800m, placing second in 2:08.26, setting a personal record by over one second while marking the sixth-fastest time in program annals. Furthermore, Musta's 800m stands as the third-best in the conference.
CARSON MCCOY MAC MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
McCoy earned the first conference athlete of the week award of his career after running a personal record and MAC-best 1:50.28 800m at the Michigan Invitational, Feb. 8. The award marked the Eagles third of the season as Fiaku and Oloye previously earned the honor, Dec. 10. Fiaku earned men's field athlete of the week and Oloye grabbed women's track athlete of the week.
AT JET'S PIZZA INVITATIONAL & MEYO INVITATIONAL, JAN. 31-FEB. 1
Freshman multi athlete Shay Clemetson (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) highlighted the Eagles' performances at the Jet's Pizza Invitational, hosted by Saginaw Valley State, as she won the pentathlon with 3,379 points. Jeffery placed second in the heptathlon for the men with 4,924 points, the second-best hep mark in the MAC this season.
Wiles and Moreno headlined the Eastern performances at the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame. Wiles placed second out of 37 student athletes in the open mile in 4:03.26, a time that stands as the top in the MAC and a personal best while Moreno raced against elite competition in the 3000m final, finishing 11th out of 27 student athletes while shattering her previous personal best by nearly 27 seconds, finishing in 9:18.92. Her time stands as fifth best in program history and the fourth fastest in the conference.
VS. BOB PARKS MEMORIAL, JAN. 25
The Eastern women's team led the day for the Eagles. It won six events and placed in the top three 14 times while landing one mark inside the program top 10, and collected 13 collegiate personal records. The men had similar success, as they claimed five events, tabbed 14 top-three finishes, and earned 17 PRs.
AT WOLVERINE INVITATIONAL, JAN. 11
Oloye highlighted the EMU women's performances as she broke the program record in the 300m dash, tying for first in 38.05. Buffen joined her with a first-place finish in the triple jump with an 11.79m (38-08.25) bound. For the men, Thompson placed first in the triple jump with a mark of 15.07m (49-05.50) while both McCoy and Fiaku earned second-place outings. McCoy earned silver in the 600m dash in 1:19.25 while Fiaku collected his second consecutive second-place finish in the high jump, leaping 2.06m (6-09.00).
FIAKU AND OLOYE: MAC ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
Nigeria natives Fiaku and Oloye were each named MAC Athletes of the Week, Dec. 10. Fiaku earned the honor for the first time after starting his collegiate career with a second-place 2.09m (6-10.25) performance in the high jump at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Furthermore, his second-place finish came with the first-place finisher, GVSU's Eli Kosiba, tying the NCAA Division II record with a 2.30m (7-06.50) leap.
Oloye also captured her first athlete of the week honors with a first-place outing in the 400m dash at the GVSU Holiday Open, Dec. 6. Oloye crossed the finish line in 54.68, a time that ranked as the third best in the MAC, 39th fastest in the NCAA, stands ninth in EMU program history, and marked a personal best for the sophomore.
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.
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 Thompson. He 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 Buffen, Walkes, and Marchant. 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 200m dash (24.15) and the 60m dash (7.44). Marchant earned three individual championships at the MAC Indoor Championships, winning the 800m (2:10.26), mile (4:49.67), and 3000m (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
Eric Haddock Jr.
Brendan Hill
Tajay Roberts
Gabe Singh
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
NEW COACHES
The Eagles have adjusted their coaching staff ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Chris 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. Sue 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 110m hurdles.
UP NEXT
The indoor season will conclude with the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships, Friday-Saturday, March 14-15, hosted by the city of Virginia Beach, Va., at the Virginia Beach Sports Center. A list of meet participants will be available Tuesday, March 4. Should no Eagles make the cut, the next time they will be in action would be in the outdoor season, as they are set to open the outdoor portion of the schedule with the Texas Relays, Bobcat Invitational & Multis, and the Raleigh Relays, March 27-29.
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
Multis
/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
Multis
/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Men's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & Field
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/ Women's Track & FieldTrack & Field at 2025 Spartan Invitational
Tuesday, April 08
2025 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Cinematic Recap
Wednesday, March 05
2025 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships Day 1 Highlights
Saturday, March 01
2025 MAC Indoor Championships Hype Video
Wednesday, February 26