MAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Junior, (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University)
Junior Baldvin Magnusson (Akureyri, Iceland-Hull University) impressed on the track, partaking in his first indoor 5000m race since 2020. The harrier finished second with a strong time of 13:41.39 in the first heat which is over 10 seconds faster than the previous record at the Kelly Family Sports Center, and ranks second in EMU history.
MAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Taige Bryant, Eastern Michigan
Graduate Student, Edmond, Oklahoma
Bryant crushed his previous-best weight throw of 21.87m with a launch of 22.56m to set the school record and take first place at the Grand Valley State University's Holiday Open, Dec. 3. The 22.56m toss topped teammate Newlyn Stephenson's 22.28m performance set last season at the Akron Quad Meet, Jan. 15, 2021.
MAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Lou Trois, University of Toledo
Junior, Lannion, France/ Lycee Pointe Noire
Led the Rockets in the 3000m run with a sixth-place finish. This was also her first track and field competition.
MAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Christina Wende, Buffalo
Senior, Kenmore, N.Y. / Kenmore West
Christina Wende won the women’s triple jump in a personal best mark of 40’-05.00” (12.32-meters). She also placed fifth in the long jump in 18’-06.00” (5.64-meters) and third in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.95-seconds.
Other Nominee’s
Humphrey Banful, Buffalo
Senior, Brooklyn, NY
Humphrey Banful ran a personal best time in the prelim round of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.19-seconds. He went on to improve his mark in the finals to 8.17-seconds while finishing fourth overall at the Youngstown State Icebreaker Invite.
Baidy Ba, Kent State
Freshman, Columbia, MD
Baidy Ba ran a 14:33.59 in the 5,000m and was the top collegiate finisher in his indoor debut at the YSU Icebreaker on Friday. Ba’s time ranks No. 9 on Kent State’s all-time indoor performance list.
Caleb Nickens, Buffalo
Senior, Amherst, NY
Caleb Nickens placed second in the men’s weight throw at the Youngstown State Icebreaker Invite with a personal best mark of 64’-1”/19.53-meters.
Reghan Draper, Central Michigan
Redshirt Sophomore, Canton, Mich/Plymouth HS
60: 1st in MAC/32nd in NCAA. Central Michigan redshirt sophomore Reghan Draper posted a fourth-place finish in the 60-meter dash and an eighth-place finish in the 200-meter dash at the season-opening Grand Valley State Holiday Open in Allendale, Mich. Draper's time in the 60, 7.61 seconds, is the best among MAC runners this season and ties her for 32nd best in NCAA Division I. She nearly matched her PR in both events.
Chloie Musta, Eastern Michigan
Freshman, Mesick, Mich./Cadillac
Freshman Chloie Musta (Mesick, Mich.-Cadillac) clocked in at 2:13.93 in the 800m race for a win in her first-ever collegiate track meet. The 2:13.93 time is better than any indoor 800 time run by a member of the women's team last season. Additionally, her time ranks seventh in the NCAA.
Priscilla Faa, Buffalo
Fifth Year, Jamaica, N.Y. / John Bowne
Priscilla Faa had her best season opening 60-meter dash as she ran 7.74-seconds in the finals to place fifth at the Youngstown State Icebreaker Invite. She came back to run a personal best in the 200-meter dash with a mark of 24.94-seconds placing second overall.
Tricia Pierce, Central Michigan
Redshirt Sophomore, Ortonville, Mich./Brandon HS
Redshirt sophomore Tricia Pierce, competing in her first meet as a Central Michigan Chippewa, tied for third in the pole vault with a vault measuring 11 feet, 9 3/4 inches (3.60 meters) at the season-opening Grand Valley State Holiday Open. Pierce's vault ties for the best among MAC vaulters this season.
