Eagles Repeat as MAC Indoor Champions

Complete Results

AKRON, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Although they trailed by one following the first day, the Eastern Michigan University women's track and field team flipped the script, taking home the Mid-American Conference title by one point over rival Akron, Feb. 27. The Eagles finished with 127 points, just ahead of the Zips' 126 points. The victory marks the fifth time in program history that the team has won the championship.

"This was a hard fought championship and I'm incredibly proud of the team," remarked Head Coach Sue Parks. "Like most championships, not everything went perfectly for us, but we kept competing hard and battled for every point. The 1-2-3 in the 3000 was an amazing display of teamwork. The girls were all in their third race of the meet but they gave it all that they had. We couldn't have won without those 24 points going into the 1600 relay. The distance runners were spectacular but it was truly a total team win. I'm really happy for the girls and thankful that we were able to come away with title."

Freshman Jessica Harris (Slidell, La. – Slidell) continued to impress in the 60m dash finals, as she brought home the silver medal in 7.50, just short of her personal-best set yesterday. Senior Aaliyah McKinney (South Bend, Ind. – John Adams) ran in the race as well, taking sixth. McKinney also ran in the 200m dash finals, taking sixth there as well with a time of 24.40.

Moving to the 800m finals, sophomore Jenna Wyns (Londerzeel, Belgium – Sportschol KA2) had a great race as well, finishing fifth with a career-best time of 2:10.75. The distance group continued to excel in the mile, as the Green and White took home the top two spots. Junior Alsu Bogdanova (Kazan, Russia – Lyceum #83) took home the gold yet again with a time of 4:53.58, while senior Sofie Gallein (Gits, Belgium – University of Leuven) nabbed the silver in 4:54.44.

The 3000m saw more of the same, as the Eagles swept the event and collected the top-three places. Sophomore Jordann McDermitt (Davison, Mich. – Davison) was the first to cross the finish line, coming in at 9:35.45, about two seconds ahead of Gallein. Bogdanova rounded out the trio with a time of 9:38.00. In the 60m hurdles, sophomore Tifani Byrd (Toms River, N.J. – Toms River North) took sixth in 8.69, while senior Maya Carter (Racine, Wis. – Case) tied her career-best with a time of 8.71 to come in seventh.

EMU took home another medal in the 4x400m relay, where the group of junior Khadesha James (Irvington, N.J. – Irvington), seniors Morgan Yeadon (Indianapolis, Ind. – Pike) and Iesha Hardiman (Santa Clara, Calif. – Adrian Wilcox), and sophomore Jasmine Jones (Greensburg, Pa. – Hempfield Area) finished third in 3:41.37. Their time sits at number five in the EMU record books as well. Junior Kristina Coyne (Pittsburgh, Pa. – Chartiers Valley) was the lone EMU competitor in the high jump, finishing eighth with a mark of 1.69 meters/ 5 feet 6.5-inches, which was a career-best.

Senior Ellie Braidic (Pandora, Ohio – Pandora-Gilboa) paced the team in the pole vault with a mark of 4 meters/ 13 feet 1.5-inches. Juniors Janina Pollatz (Grandville, Mich. – Grand Rapids Christian) and Natalie Uy (Kettering, Ohio – Fairmont) tied for sixth with a vault of 3.85 meters/ 12 feet 7.5-inches. Finally, sophomore Dace Dreimane (Ventspils, Latvia - Ventspils Gymnasium No. 1) took home bronze in the triple jump, posting a career-best mark of 12.62 meters/ 41 feet 5-inches. With that jump, Dreimane now ranks third in program history for the triple jump.

At the conclusion of the meet, Parks was named Coach of the Year. Additionally, Bogdanova was tabbed as the Most Valuable Performer, while Harris took home Freshman Track Performer of the Year honors. The All-MAC teams are yet to be named, as they will be decided in the near future.

With the conference championships concluded, the Eagles will now take a break before the beginning of the outdoor season, March 25, in Raleigh, N.C. Before that, however, select individuals will head to Brimingham, Ala. for the NCAA Indoor Championships, March 11-12.

Coach of the Year: Sue Parks, EMU
Most Valuable Performer: Alsu Bogdanova, EMU
Most Outstanding Track Performer: Ayiana Gaines, Western Michigan
Most Outstanding Field Performer: Jackie Siefring, Akron
Freshman Track Performer of the Year: Jessica Harris, EMU
Freshman Field Performer of the Year: Jade Nolan, Bowling Green

EMU Individual Results (* denotes a personal best)
Event                                                 Mark

60m Dash Finals
2. Jessica Harris 7.50
6. Aaliyah McKinney 7.56

200m Dash Finals
6. Aaliyah McKinney 24.40

800m Run Finals
5. Jenna Wyns                                  2:10.75*

Mile Run
1. Alsu Bogdanova                             4:53.58
2. Sofie Gallein 4:54.44
6. Jordann McDermitt                        4:56.22

3000m Run
1. Jordann McDermitt                        9:35.45
2. Sofie Gallein                                 9:37.56
3. Alsu Bogdanova 9:38.00

60m Hurdles Finals
6. Tifani Byrd                                    8.69
7. Maya Carter 8.71

4x400m Relay
3. James, Yeadon, Hardiman             3:41.37
Jones

High Jump
8. Kristina Coyne                              1.69m/ 5-06.50*

Pole Vault
4. Ellie Braidic                                   4.00m/ 13-01.50
6. Natalie Uy                                    3.85m/ 12-07.50
6. Janina Pollatz                               3.85m/ 12-07.50

Triple Jump
3. Dace Dreimane                            12.62m/ 41-05.00*
13. Kristina Coyne                           11.20m/ 36-09.00
14. Dayna Hurd                                11.19m/ 36-08.50*

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Alsu Bogdanova

Ellie Braidic

Tifani Byrd

Maya Carter

Kristina Coyne

Dace Dreimane

Sofie Gallein

Iesha Hardiman

Jessica Harris

Dayna Hurd

Khadesha James

Jasmine Jones

Jordann McDermitt

Aaliyah McKinney

Janina Pollatz

Natalie Uy

Jenna Wyns

Morgan Yeadon

Eastern Michigan Athletics