Track and Field Heads South for Spec Towns Invitational

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University track and field programs will travel to Athens, Ga., for the Spec Town Invitational, hosted by the University of Georgia, Thursday-Saturday, April 9-11, at the Spec Towns Track.

The meet will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, and then at 12 p.m. both Friday and Saturday.

Fans can access live results here. A post-meet recap along with results will be posted to EMUEagles.com following the last day of competition.

Last Time at Spec Towns Invitational
Eastern last competed at the Spec Towns Invitational in the 2020-21 season, where they were highlighted by the jumpers and throwers. On the men's side, Baboucar Sallah-Mohammad set the current school record in the long jump, with a leap of 7.87m (25-10.00), while four throwers etched their names into the program top 10 lists in different events. On the track, the 4x400m relay team took the title at the meet in 3:15.65.

For the women, Kadian Clarke saw a toss of 14.83m in the shot put to earn the school record during the meet, eventually improving that mark to 15.63m the following season. Additionally, Miranda Cadwell improved her school record in the discus throw with a 45.66m toss, while she currently still holds the record spot with a 48.31m mark from the 2023-24 season.

Last Time Out: Spartan Invitational
The Eagles last competed at the Spartan Invitational, hosted by Michigan State University, April 3. The men's team saw Jake McEachern (Lloydminster, Alberta/Lloydminster Comprehensive) claim victory in the hammer throw with a 63.25m (207-06) toss, a mark that ranks second in the conference and 42^nd nationally. Ray Glory-Ejoyokah (Southfield, Mich./Wylie E. Groves) placed second in the discus throw with a 54.66m (179-04) mark, ranking second in the conference, 49^th nationally, and is the fourth in the EMU top 10.

The men's 5,000m had two Eagles finish in the top five, as Carson Vanderschaaf (Marquette, Mich./Marquette Senior) delivered a personal-best 14:57.42 for second place, and Isaac Garcia (Greely, Colo./South County) ran 15:19.31 to finish fifth.

On the women's side, Shamoya Clemetson (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier) captured the lone event title on the women's side, winning the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.92. Two more top three finishes came from Nikol Antoniadi (Didimoticho, Greece/Geniko Lykeio Didimotichou), who clocked a 12.97 in the 100m dash to place third, while Natalie Buratczuk (Saint Charles, Ill./Saint Charles North) secured a third-place finish in the high jump, clearing a height of 1.60m (5-03.00).

In the throwing events, Aleah Johnson (Botkins, Ohio/Botkins) recorded a personal-best mark in the hammer throw with a heave of 51.56m (169-02) for seventh place, also improving her program No. 8 mark from 51.48m (168-10).

MAC Standings
Multiple Eagles have earned top-three spots in the conference rankings within their respective events so far this outdoor season.

Men's Team

Bamidele Ajayi is second in the men's 400m (46.95)
Jimmy Geller holds the second spot in the 800m with a time of 1:50.51
Kian Wiles is the current MAC leader in the 1,500m (3:41.79)
Michael Hawkins and Mill Coleman III hold the second (53.89) and third (54.27) spots in the 400m hurdles, respectively
The 4x400m relay team of Olawole Olanrewaju, Bamidele Ajayi, Michael Hawkins, and Tajay Roberts hold the second fastest spot with a time of 3:11.14
Leland Godfrey is in third for the shot put with a 16.96m (55-07.75) mark
Ray Glory-Ejoyokah holds spot No. 2 in the discus throw with a toss of 54.66m (179-04)
Jake McEachern's season best hammer throw of 63.25m (207-06) ranks second

Women's Team

Saraiah Walkes and Josephine Oloye hold the second (53.51) and third (54.03) spots in the 400m, respectively
Alba Viñals Calixto has the third fastest 400m hurdles time of 1:00.23
The 4x400m relay team of Uduak Udosoh, Saraiah Walkes, Liusmar Rivas Velasquez, and Demetria Henderson hold the second fastest time of 3:42.61
Shamoya Clemetson is in the second spot in the long jump (5.99m, 19-08.00)
Mariah Taylor leads the MAC in the triple jump with a 12.65m (41-06.00) mark

Up Next
Eastern will see a trio of meets next weekend, as athletes will compete at the Bryan Clay Invitational, hosted by the Azusa Pacific, in Azusa, Calif., April 16-18, along with the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C., and the Hillsdale Gina Relays in Hillsdale, Mich., both April 16-17.

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.

Previously Noted

All-MAC Returners – Outdoor Season
Eastern returns number All-MAC honorees from the outdoor season.

Men's All-MAC Returners
Bamidele Ajayi – First Team (4x400m relay)
Mill Coleman III – First Team (4x100m relay)
Jake McEachern – First Team (hammer throw)
Olawole Olanrewaju – First Team (4x400m relay)
Tajay Roberts – First Team (4x400m relay)
Kian Wiles – First Team (1500m)
Samuel Jeffery – Second Team (decathlon)

Women's All-MAC Returners
Demetria Henderson – First Team (4x400m relay)
Josephine Oloye – First Team (4x400m relay)
Saraiah Walkes – First Team (100m, 200m, 4x400m relay) – Most Valuable Performer
Alimot Alowonle – Second Team (4x100m relay)
Ajah Arscott – Second Team (4x100m relay)
Jaeden Garraway – Second Team (4x100m relay)
Micah Martin – Second Team (high jump)

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Bamidele Ajayi

Alimot Alowonle

Nikol Antoniadi

Ajah Arscott

Natalie Buratczuk

Shamoya Clemetson

Mill Coleman III

Isaac Garcia

Jaeden Garraway

Jimmy Geller

Ray Glory-Ejoyokah

Leland Godfrey

Michael Hawkins

Demetria Henderson

Samuel Jeffery

Aleah Johnson

Micah Martin

Jake McEachern

Olawole Olanrewaju

Josephine Oloye

Liusmar Rivas Velasquez

Tajay Roberts

Mariah Taylor

Uduak Udosoh

Carson Vanderschaaf

Alba Viñals Calixto

Saraiah Walkes

Kian Wiles

Eastern Michigan Athletics