MAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Junior, Akureyri, Iceland/Hull University
At the GVSU Snowdown Showdown, junior Baldvin Magnusson (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University) set the national Icelandic record in the 3000m with an incredible 7:53.92 time. For Magnusson, his clip places him second all-time in the event at Eastern Michigan after passing former two-time all-American Eagle Willy Fink's 7:56.04 set in 2016. Magnusson's mark now puts him just behind former NCAA national champion and EMU legend Boaz Cheboiywo (7:52.40). The Iceland native's time is good for eighth in all of Division I, ahead of Power Five student-athletes from the likes of Michigan, Texas, and Arkansas. Additionally, his time is nearly 20 seconds faster than the next fastest runner in the Mid-American Conference, who is also an Eagle (Andy Payne).
MAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week
Brandon Burke, Buffalo
Senior, Churchville, N.Y. / Byron-Bergen
Brandon Burke won the high jump at the Akron Invitational with a University at Buffalo school record height of 7’-02.25”/ 2.19-meters. His mark of 2.19-meters ranks No. 1 in the MAC and is tied for sixth in the NCAA.
MAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Kailee Perry, Bowling Green
Sophomore, West Liberty, Ky. / Morgan
Kailee Perry set a new personal best in the mile, posting the top time in the Mid-American Conference this season with a 4:53.78 (converted to 4:50.90). Along with having the top time in the MAC and winning the mile, she also posted the fifth-fastest mile in program history and becomes the fourth-fastest woman in BGSU history in the event. To add to it, Perry also won the 800 at the Jack Skoog Invitational in 2:16.13 and currently sits sixth in the league in the event. Perry has not been defeated in a race during the 2020-21 season, winning the 800 twice and the mile twice so far this indoor season. She also won both cross country races she ran in during the fall of 2020, including the MAC Championship.
MAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Quiara Wheeler, Central Michigan
Senior, Flint, Mich./Grand Blanc HS
Central Michigan's Quiara Wheeler broke her own program record in the weight throw with a massive 21.51-meter toss on Saturday at the Chippewas' annual Jack Skoog Invitational. Wheeler set the previous standard, 20.74 meters, in a season-opening dual meet with Western Michigan. She entered the season with a career-best 19.75, which was the program record at the time. Her throw also stands as a facility (Jack Skoog Track) mark. She is ranked No. 1 in the MAC, holding that spot by 2.2 meters over the second-place thrower, and is No. 6 nationally.
Other Men's Nominees
Jake Wickey, Kent State
Senior, Medina, Ohio/Medina
Jake Wickey continued his stellar senior indoor season with a mark of 21.12m (69’-3.50”) to win the weight throw Friday evening at the Akron Invitational. Wickey was the #8 weight throw performer in the NCAA this week and all five of his legal attempts traveled more than 20.50m.
Brandon Hochbein, Akron
Senior, Sarver, Pa.
Sparked by strong second-day marks, Akron senior Brandon Hochbein defended his men's heptathlon title at the Akron Invitational on Feb. 5-6 registering a career-best seven-event cumulative score of 5,297 to edge Kent State's Jacob Malley by 23 points. Hochbein opened day two of the men's heptathlon posting a career-best time of 8.34 in the 60-meter hurdles. He followed registering the top mark in the pole vault with a clearance of 15-3 (4.65m), before crossing the line in a career-best time of 2:52.68 in the 1,000 meters to close out the competition. In day one competition, he registered career-best marks in the 60 meters (7.20) and shot put (41-1.50/12.53m), while adding a mark of 21-7.50 (6.59m) in the long jump and 6-1.50 (1.87m) in the high jump.
William Hilbert, Buffalo
Grad-Senior, Kenmore, N.Y. / St. Joe's Collegiate Institute
William Hilbert ran to a second place finish and a new personal-best time of 14:26.19 in the 5,000-meter run at the Akron Invitational. His mark is No. 1 in the MAC and ranks 15th in the NCAA.
Zarik Brown, Akron
Sophomore, Dayton, Ohio
Akron sophomore Zarik Brown turned in a stellar time in the finals of the men's 400 meters at the Akron Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 6, crossing the line in 46.96. The time is No. 1 in the MAC this season and 26th nationally. Additionally, he ran the anchor leg on the winning 4x400 relay that posted the top time in the league this season, in an Akron season-best time of 3:13.48.
Other Women's Nominees
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Taylor Eaton, Western Michigan
Senior, Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion
Eaton crushed her previous personal-best distance in the weight throw to claim first place on Friday. The senior threw a distance of 57' 11.25" (17.66m) to earn the top spot. Her previous personal-best in the vent was 56' 5" that she set last season at the GVSU Big Meet.The throw also moved her up the MAC performance list and is currently tied for seventh-best.
Scilla Benussi, Buffalo
Freshman, Oriago, Italy / Liceo Statale Galileo Galilel
Freshman Scilla Benussi won the Akron Invitational pentathlon in a MAC leading 3,555 points. In the five events, she set a new personal-best mark in the shot put by nearly a meter with her throw of 11.64-meters / 38’-02.25”. She also had a season’s best in the high jump of 1.62-meters / 5’-03.75” and claimed a time of 9.32 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles.
Zaresha Neal, Bowling Green
R-Junior, Findlay, Ohio / Findlay
Zaresha Neal threw a new personal best distance of 52-feet-3.25 (15.93m) to win the Jack Skoog Invitational shot put title, hosted by Central Michigan. Neal's mark ranks second in the MAC this year and places her at No. 25 nationally. She ranks fourth in BGSU history in the event.
Grace Tennant, Kent State
Senior, Caistor Centre, Ontario/South Lincoln
Grace Tennant remained unbeaten to start her senior indoor campaign with a shot put PR of 16.22m (53’-2.75”) on Friday at the Akron Invitational. Tennant holds the #16 spot on the national performance list and moves ahead of teammate Gabby Bailey into fifth in the Kent State record book.
Jazmyn Smith, NIU
Junior, Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep
Jazmyn Smith took the top spot in the long jump at the GVSU Snowdown Showdown, winning the meet with a top leap of 5.70 meters (18-08.50). Smith posted her best jump of the competition on her first attempt, comfortably ahead of second-place Kaitlyn Davis of Indiana State by more than six inches (5.53m, 18-01.75). The event win is the second of the year for Smith, who also won the long jump at the Lints Alumni Open on January 23.
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Rebecca McNamee, Western Michigan
Senior, Marquette, Mich./Marquette
McNamee PRed twice at the Akron Invitational over the weekend. In the mile run she ran a time of 5:03.84 and took second overall on Friday. On Saturday she followed it up with the fourth-fastest time in the MAC and a new personal-best of 2:13.92 in the 800-meter run to take third overall. This is the second time this season that she has produced new PRs in both events.
Priscilla Faa, Buffalo
Senior, Jamaica, N.Y. / John Bowne
Priscilla Faa set a personal-best time in the preliminary round of the 60-meter dash at the Akron Invitational with a time of 7.75 seconds. This time ties her for 11th in the MAC and is now tied for 10th in UB history. Later in the evening she ran a season’s best of 25.30 seconds in the 200-meter placing sixth in the field of 17.
Alysse Wade, Eastern Michigan
Junior, Mansfield, Ohio/St. Peter's
Continuing her winning ways at the GVSU Snowdown Showdown was junior Alysse Wade (Mansfield, Ohio-St. Peter's), as she won the 60m hurdles in an 8.64 time for first place. For Wade, she has not lost a 60m hurdles event thus far in the indoor season with a winning-streak stretching back to last season. Additionally, her time is good for first in the Mid-American Conference.
Emily Vining, Toledo
SophomoreToledo, Ohio
Emily Vining won the 3000m with a time of 10:02.27. Vining' s time is a personal-best for her at the college level. Vining has set three personal-best times this season including a time of 2:22.20 in the 800m and 5:04.62 in the mile. Within the MAC, she is ranked within the top 30 for each event.
Kyra Keurentjes, Akron
Junior, Wehl, The Netherlands
Akron junior Kyra Keurentjes registered a career-best time of 2:10.33 in the women's 800 meters to capture the event at the Akron Invitational on Saturday, Feb.6. Her performance represents the No. 1 time in the MAC this season. Additionally, she ran the second leg on the Zips' 4x400 relay team that posted a season-best time of 3:51.72.
Jahnetta Jones, NIU
Sophomore, Romeoville, Ill./Romeoville
NIU’s Jahnetta Jones won a pair of events at Grand Valley State’s Snowdown Showdown, taking top honors in the 200 meters and 400 meters. In the 200, Jones clocked in a time of 24.76 seconds, the third-fastest time in the MAC this season. In the 400, Jones led a NIU one-two, finishing with a time of 56.28 seconds, ahead of teammate Kennedy Crawford who was second in 56.77. Jones’ 56.28 seconds is the fastest time in the MAC this season in the 400 meters.
