Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Insider Podcast - Season 8 - Episode 5
9/22/2025 6:05:00 PM | Women's XC, Football, Women's Track & Field, General
Homecoming Wins, Rivalry Week, and Sophie Emin’s Journey
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Insider Podcast Powered by DTE opened its fifth episode of Season 8 with the energy of a program coming off one of its most memorable weekends of the fall. Hosts Greg Steiner and Elena Davis wasted no time recapping a string of Eastern Michigan victories, starting with a dramatic homecoming football win and extending to success on the soccer field.
"It was a tremendous weekend for Eastern Michigan football as they were able to come out and get the homecoming victory for the fifth straight season as Eastern Michigan knocks off the Ragin' Cajuns 34-31," Steiner said in the opening minutes. "Perfect weather as the fans came out, the alums were all happy, and Eastern Michigan gets its first win of the season."
Davis quickly agreed. "It was a weekend," she said with a laugh. "It was a lot of fun, wasn't it? The weather was nice. It wasn't too hot, thankfully. But it's either cold or hot in the middle of the day. It wasn't a 7 p.m. kickoff. Thank goodness for the first time we didn't have to play under the lights."
The win marked the fifth consecutive homecoming victory for EMU football and provided plenty of moments for fans to remember. The debut of the black uniforms, a new turnover celebration with the "MACCoon" chain, and a game-winning kick from Rudy Kessinger gave the Eagles a much-needed spark after a 0-3 start. "They brought out their black uniforms, which were really sleek and cool. I need one of those," Davis said.
The conversation shifted to Eastern's Mid-American Conference opener against Central Michigan, a rivalry game steeped in history. "Eagles will be on the road this weekend in Mount Pleasant as they take on the Chips, trying to get their first win in mid-Michigan in quite a while," Steiner said. "The last EMU victory at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, you have to go back to 2011, a 35-28 win."
Steiner noted the long-standing series, which will mark its 103rd meeting on Saturday. "You don't always think of this being the longest-running rivalry against all teams in the league," he said. "That is saying something, because everybody looks at Central-Western as the big matchup. But Eastern and Central have actually played more times. The only teams in Michigan that have played more? Michigan and Michigan State."
The show also spotlighted EMU soccer, which beat Toledo 1-0 on Sunday to open conference play at 2-0 for the first time since 2014. "They're the only MAC team to start 2-0 in league play, sitting atop the conference standings," Steiner said. "That gives Eastern Michigan some high expectations."
Later in the episode, Davis teased her feature on track standout Sophie Emin, who transferred from Rutgers and embraced EMU's tradition of success. "She told me this is Eastern Michigan track," Davis said. "She said, 'We are the powerhouse of the MAC.' She said that multiple times. And I was just like, wow, I want to join the track team after hearing this."
The week ahead features road trips for women's golf, volleyball, and soccer before the football rivalry takes center stage in Mount Pleasant.
Segment 1 - Chris Creighton
Eastern Michigan Head Coach Chris Creighton knows momentum is essential, and last weekend's homecoming win over Louisiana gave his team a jolt heading into conference play.
"It's always great playing at home on homecoming, seeing a bunch of former players and being well supported," Creighton said on the Eastern Insider Podcast Powered by DTE. "We hadn't played well as a team yet, hadn't had a victory, and we had a lot of juice."
The Eagles wore new black jerseys for the first time, but the early moments offered little to celebrate. Louisiana opened with a 75-yard scoring drive, and EMU quickly went three-and-out. Creighton said he challenged his players to "talk about being tough, or you can actually be tough," and he praised their response.
"Our guys just never broke," Creighton said. "We started playing really good football against a team I think was picked to win the Sun Belt. We took the ball away for the first time all year, did it three times in the second half, and we won the game."
The dramatic finish came on a 42-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Rudy Kessinger with three seconds left. Kessinger was later named MAC Special Teams Player of the Week. "I don't know if we've given him a chip shot yet," Creighton said. "They've all been long, and the game-winner was 42. He also punted one down to the one-yard line that got us seven points."
Defensive back Bryce Llewellyn earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, highlighted by a key interception. Llewellyn also introduced the team's new turnover celebration, the "MACCoon" chain. Players who force turnovers climb a ladder marked with team goals and wear a raccoon-themed chain. "It was so fun to watch him climb the ladder and put on that takeaway chain because all that was his idea," Creighton said.
The Eagles now turn to their rivalry with Central Michigan, the 103rd meeting between the schools and the opener of EMU's 50th MAC season. Creighton expects emotions to be high despite new faces on both sidelines. "Guys can feel it in the air when it's a big game," he said. "A rivalry is the first conference game. Whether you've been here four or five years or it's your first time, you're going to know it's a big deal."
Eastern will aim to win in Mount Pleasant for the first time since 2011. Creighton said the matchup with a first-year Chippewas staff brings challenges. "The first time you're going up against a new head coach and three new coordinators, you're starting fresh a little bit," he said. "Now four games in, you can start to see some patterns."
As EMU prepares for the road test, Creighton emphasized the importance of resolve. "Our guys' energy didn't wane," he said. "There wasn't any panic. Their resolve really showed through."
Segment 2 - Sophie Emin
When Sophie Emin entered the transfer portal, Michigan was the last place she thought she would end up. Now in her third year at Eastern Michigan, the former Rutgers runner says she has found a home in Ypsilanti.
"At first, you know, I never thought I'd be going to school in Michigan, but it definitely has grown on me," Emin said on the Eastern Insider Podcast Powered by DTE. "My teammates are amazing, the coaches, and I've met some of my best friends here, so they definitely made it easier."
Emin credited longtime Head Coach Sue Parks, who is in her final season, for helping shape her into the athlete she is now.
"She is the definition of tradition," Emin said. "She sets such a high standard for her athletes. At first she can be intimidating, but she has made me a better athlete, a better person, everything."
The move from Rutgers to Eastern offered both challenges and rewards. Emin said she had always pictured herself close to home in Pennsylvania, but a visit to EMU convinced her otherwise.
"I fell in love with the exercise science program as well," she said. "Not only the academics, but also the athletic program. Eastern's the powerhouse of the MAC, especially track and field. They literally set a standard of excellence."
That standard was on display in her first year when EMU won the indoor Mid-American Conference championship by nearly 60 points.
"My first year here for indoor MAC, we won by like 59 points," Emin said. "That was, like, unheard of. I was like, wow, this is Eastern Michigan track and field."
Adjusting to Michigan winters has been part of the process. Emin joked that she prefers indoor workouts, but distance runs often force her outside.
"We're running out there when there's ice on the pavement," she said. "We bundle up, gloves, hat. Some of our runs are six, eight, ten miles. We're not doing that inside a 200-meter track."
Her pre-race routine has also become a source of consistency.
"My previous snack is pineapple," Emin said with a laugh. "I'm superstitious. If I don't have pineapple, I feel like I'm not going to race fast."
Off the track, Emin is focused on her future in exercise science. She said her own injuries helped shape her career goals.
"After my first year of college athletics, I went through so many injuries," she said. "I learned so much about my body, how it heals, what you can do to keep it healthy. I thought physical therapy would be perfect. Stay around athletes, maybe specialize in that area."
Even with her focus on academics and competition, Emin said she takes pride in bringing energy to her team.
"We have this big speaker with karaoke, and at the end of the workout I'm singing," she said. "Even though they get annoyed with me, I don't care because I'm bringing the energy. You know the workouts are hard, but having your teammates there with you makes it so much better."
Emin, who still has another year of eligibility, plans to spend it in Ypsilanti, where her unexpected journey has found a lasting home.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Insider Podcast Powered by DTE opened its fifth episode of Season 8 with the energy of a program coming off one of its most memorable weekends of the fall. Hosts Greg Steiner and Elena Davis wasted no time recapping a string of Eastern Michigan victories, starting with a dramatic homecoming football win and extending to success on the soccer field.
"It was a tremendous weekend for Eastern Michigan football as they were able to come out and get the homecoming victory for the fifth straight season as Eastern Michigan knocks off the Ragin' Cajuns 34-31," Steiner said in the opening minutes. "Perfect weather as the fans came out, the alums were all happy, and Eastern Michigan gets its first win of the season."
Davis quickly agreed. "It was a weekend," she said with a laugh. "It was a lot of fun, wasn't it? The weather was nice. It wasn't too hot, thankfully. But it's either cold or hot in the middle of the day. It wasn't a 7 p.m. kickoff. Thank goodness for the first time we didn't have to play under the lights."
The win marked the fifth consecutive homecoming victory for EMU football and provided plenty of moments for fans to remember. The debut of the black uniforms, a new turnover celebration with the "MACCoon" chain, and a game-winning kick from Rudy Kessinger gave the Eagles a much-needed spark after a 0-3 start. "They brought out their black uniforms, which were really sleek and cool. I need one of those," Davis said.
The conversation shifted to Eastern's Mid-American Conference opener against Central Michigan, a rivalry game steeped in history. "Eagles will be on the road this weekend in Mount Pleasant as they take on the Chips, trying to get their first win in mid-Michigan in quite a while," Steiner said. "The last EMU victory at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, you have to go back to 2011, a 35-28 win."
Steiner noted the long-standing series, which will mark its 103rd meeting on Saturday. "You don't always think of this being the longest-running rivalry against all teams in the league," he said. "That is saying something, because everybody looks at Central-Western as the big matchup. But Eastern and Central have actually played more times. The only teams in Michigan that have played more? Michigan and Michigan State."
The show also spotlighted EMU soccer, which beat Toledo 1-0 on Sunday to open conference play at 2-0 for the first time since 2014. "They're the only MAC team to start 2-0 in league play, sitting atop the conference standings," Steiner said. "That gives Eastern Michigan some high expectations."
Later in the episode, Davis teased her feature on track standout Sophie Emin, who transferred from Rutgers and embraced EMU's tradition of success. "She told me this is Eastern Michigan track," Davis said. "She said, 'We are the powerhouse of the MAC.' She said that multiple times. And I was just like, wow, I want to join the track team after hearing this."
The week ahead features road trips for women's golf, volleyball, and soccer before the football rivalry takes center stage in Mount Pleasant.
Segment 1 - Chris Creighton
Eastern Michigan Head Coach Chris Creighton knows momentum is essential, and last weekend's homecoming win over Louisiana gave his team a jolt heading into conference play.
"It's always great playing at home on homecoming, seeing a bunch of former players and being well supported," Creighton said on the Eastern Insider Podcast Powered by DTE. "We hadn't played well as a team yet, hadn't had a victory, and we had a lot of juice."
The Eagles wore new black jerseys for the first time, but the early moments offered little to celebrate. Louisiana opened with a 75-yard scoring drive, and EMU quickly went three-and-out. Creighton said he challenged his players to "talk about being tough, or you can actually be tough," and he praised their response.
"Our guys just never broke," Creighton said. "We started playing really good football against a team I think was picked to win the Sun Belt. We took the ball away for the first time all year, did it three times in the second half, and we won the game."
The dramatic finish came on a 42-yard field goal by redshirt freshman Rudy Kessinger with three seconds left. Kessinger was later named MAC Special Teams Player of the Week. "I don't know if we've given him a chip shot yet," Creighton said. "They've all been long, and the game-winner was 42. He also punted one down to the one-yard line that got us seven points."
Defensive back Bryce Llewellyn earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, highlighted by a key interception. Llewellyn also introduced the team's new turnover celebration, the "MACCoon" chain. Players who force turnovers climb a ladder marked with team goals and wear a raccoon-themed chain. "It was so fun to watch him climb the ladder and put on that takeaway chain because all that was his idea," Creighton said.
The Eagles now turn to their rivalry with Central Michigan, the 103rd meeting between the schools and the opener of EMU's 50th MAC season. Creighton expects emotions to be high despite new faces on both sidelines. "Guys can feel it in the air when it's a big game," he said. "A rivalry is the first conference game. Whether you've been here four or five years or it's your first time, you're going to know it's a big deal."
Eastern will aim to win in Mount Pleasant for the first time since 2011. Creighton said the matchup with a first-year Chippewas staff brings challenges. "The first time you're going up against a new head coach and three new coordinators, you're starting fresh a little bit," he said. "Now four games in, you can start to see some patterns."
As EMU prepares for the road test, Creighton emphasized the importance of resolve. "Our guys' energy didn't wane," he said. "There wasn't any panic. Their resolve really showed through."
Segment 2 - Sophie Emin
When Sophie Emin entered the transfer portal, Michigan was the last place she thought she would end up. Now in her third year at Eastern Michigan, the former Rutgers runner says she has found a home in Ypsilanti.
"At first, you know, I never thought I'd be going to school in Michigan, but it definitely has grown on me," Emin said on the Eastern Insider Podcast Powered by DTE. "My teammates are amazing, the coaches, and I've met some of my best friends here, so they definitely made it easier."
Emin credited longtime Head Coach Sue Parks, who is in her final season, for helping shape her into the athlete she is now.
"She is the definition of tradition," Emin said. "She sets such a high standard for her athletes. At first she can be intimidating, but she has made me a better athlete, a better person, everything."
The move from Rutgers to Eastern offered both challenges and rewards. Emin said she had always pictured herself close to home in Pennsylvania, but a visit to EMU convinced her otherwise.
"I fell in love with the exercise science program as well," she said. "Not only the academics, but also the athletic program. Eastern's the powerhouse of the MAC, especially track and field. They literally set a standard of excellence."
That standard was on display in her first year when EMU won the indoor Mid-American Conference championship by nearly 60 points.
"My first year here for indoor MAC, we won by like 59 points," Emin said. "That was, like, unheard of. I was like, wow, this is Eastern Michigan track and field."
Adjusting to Michigan winters has been part of the process. Emin joked that she prefers indoor workouts, but distance runs often force her outside.
"We're running out there when there's ice on the pavement," she said. "We bundle up, gloves, hat. Some of our runs are six, eight, ten miles. We're not doing that inside a 200-meter track."
Her pre-race routine has also become a source of consistency.
"My previous snack is pineapple," Emin said with a laugh. "I'm superstitious. If I don't have pineapple, I feel like I'm not going to race fast."
Off the track, Emin is focused on her future in exercise science. She said her own injuries helped shape her career goals.
"After my first year of college athletics, I went through so many injuries," she said. "I learned so much about my body, how it heals, what you can do to keep it healthy. I thought physical therapy would be perfect. Stay around athletes, maybe specialize in that area."
Even with her focus on academics and competition, Emin said she takes pride in bringing energy to her team.
"We have this big speaker with karaoke, and at the end of the workout I'm singing," she said. "Even though they get annoyed with me, I don't care because I'm bringing the energy. You know the workouts are hard, but having your teammates there with you makes it so much better."
Emin, who still has another year of eligibility, plans to spend it in Ypsilanti, where her unexpected journey has found a lasting home.
Players Mentioned
Season 8 - Episode 5: Homecoming Wins, Rivalry Week, and Sophie Emin’s Journey
Monday, September 22
EMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 5 vs. Central Michigan
Monday, September 22
Louisiana: Cinematic Recap
Monday, September 22
Had a blast at our homecoming tailgate!
Monday, September 22