EMU Eagles - Men Conclude Regular Season in Toledo

Provided by EMU

TOLEDO, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University men's track and field team closed the book on the regular season today, May 6, at the Toledo Invitational. Overall, the Eagles notched 17 top-three finishes throughout the meet.

Leading the way in the 100m dash was redshirt junior Nick James (Troy, Ohio – Troy), who took home the bronze with a time of 11.00. Just behind him, senior Wayne Blanchard (Toledo, Ohio – St. Francis De Sales) took fourth in 11.02, while freshman Tyler Underwood (Clinton, Mich. – Clinton) nabbed fifth in 11.04. In the 200m dash, Underwood managed to win the event, posting a personal-best time of 22.17, with Blanchard also nabbing a top-three spot.

The 800m run saw sophomore Tom Jozwiak (Southgate, Mich. – Thomas J. Anderson) finish in fifth with a personal-best time of 1:55.50, while freshman David Saporito (Warren, Mich. – Warren Mott) also notched a career-best time of 1:56.02. Redshirt junior Willy Fink (Maumee, Ohio – Maumee) ran in the 1500m, finishing atop the podium after crossing the finish line in 3:47.19, which was also a career-best.

EMU nabbed two more podium spots in the 110m hurdles, with redshirt senior Solomon Simmons (Murrieta, Calif. – Murrieta Valley) taking the silver in 14.44. Rounding out the top-three was freshman Frank Douglas (Mansfield, Ohio – Madison Comprehensive), who posted a personal-best time of 14.59. In the 400m hurdles, the Eagles swept the top-two spots, as sophomore Mark Cooke (Edison, N.J. – John P. Stevens) claimed the gold in 54.56, while freshman Elijah Barber (Columbus, Ohio – Eastmoor Academy) brought home the silver with a mark of 54.98, which was a career-best. Finally, the 4x100m relay team of sophomore Brandon Bolden (Solon, Ohio – Solon), junior Tyler Brown (Findlay, Ohio – Findlay), senior Jeff Elam (Latrobe, Pa. – Greater Latrobe Senior­), and freshman Aitor Ekobo (Jose Luis Lopez Aranguren Secondary School) won the event, clocking in at 41.00.

In the high jump, freshman Cameron Hart (Columbus, Ohio – Bishop Hartley) finished third with a mark of 1.95 meters/ 6 feet 4.75-inches, while Simmons nabbed fourth in the pole vault with a vault of 4.59 meters/ 15 feet 0.75-inches. The long jump saw Brown take home another gold for EMU, as the junior jumped 7.08 meters/ 23 feet 2.75-inches to secure top-honors. Hart finished just behind him, taking second with a jump of 6.97 meters/ 22 feet 10.5-inches. Finally, freshman Jordan Fowler finished atop the podium in the triple jump, managing to post a mark of 14.83 meters/ 48 feet 8-inches, which was a personal-best.

Moving to the throws, freshman Zach Harkey (Huron, Ohio – Huron) notched another silver for the Green and White, throwing 46.10 meters/ 151 feet 3-inches. The shot put saw junior Quinn Levering (Caledonia, Ohio – River Valley) take third with a throw of 16.83 meters/ 55 feet 2.75-inches, putting him in 10th all-time in EMU history. Finally, the Eagles were represented by Kevin Bouchard (Whitmore Lake, Mich. – Whitmore Lake) in the hammer throw, finishing fifth with a mark of 52.69 meters/ 172 feet 10-inches.

The Eagles now turn their sights towards the postseason. EMU will return to Toledo next week to take part in the Mid-American Conference Championships, May 12-14.

EMU Individual Results (* denotes a personal best)

Event Mark

100m Dash

3. Nick James 11.00

4. Wayne Blanchard 11.02

5. Tyler Underwood 11.04

200m Dash

1. Tyler Underwood 22.17*

3. Wayne Blanchard 22.36

4. Nick James 22.39

800m Run

5. Tom Jozwiak 1:55.50*

7. David Saporito 1:56.02*

1500m Run

1. Willy Fink 3:47.19*

110m Hurdles

2. Solomon Simmons 14.44

3. Frank Douglas 14.59*

11. Alex Jacobs 17.42*

400m Hurdles

1. Mark Cooke 54.56

2. Elijah Barber 54.98*

4x100m Relay

1. Bolden, Brown 41.00

Elam, Ekobo

High Jump

3. Cameron Hart 1.95m/ 6-04.75

Pole Vault

4. Solomon Simmons 4.59m/ 15-00.75

Alex Jacobs NH

Long Jump

1. Tyler Brown 7.08m/ 23-02.75

2. Cameron Hart 6.97m/ 22-10.50

8. Nicholas Herbert 6.15m/ 20-02.25

Triple Jump

1. Jordan Fowler 14.83m/ 48-08.00*

3. Micah Peters 14.38m/ 47-02.25*

Discus Throw

2. Zach Harkey 46.10m/ 151-03

3. Solomon Simmons 39.54m/ 129-09

5. Alex Jacobs 27.66m/ 90-09

Shot Put

3. Quinn Levering 16.83m/ 55-02.75*

5. Zach Purcilly 15.69m/ 51-05.75*

Hammer Throw

5. Kevin Bouchard 52.69m/ 172-10