CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the 2023 Indoor Track & Field post season awards on Wednesday. All awards are voted on by the head coaches in the conference, with the exception of All-MAC Teams and Freshmen Performers of the Year, which are determined on points earned at the conference championship meet.
Baldvin Magnusson of Eastern Michigan is the 2023 MAC Men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer after taking home first in the mile, 3000, 5000. Magnusson scored an impressive 36 points for the Eagles.
Alex Shields of Kent State took home the 2023 MAC Men’s Most Outstanding Field Performer. Shields won two events and finished runner-up in a third for 28 points at the MAC Indoor Championships. The busiest athlete at the meet, Shields had to complete four heptathlon events, the long jump and 60-meter hurdles prelims on Friday, then returnedto action Saturday for the final three heptathlon events and 60m hurdles final. He captured his second consecutive heptathlon crown with 5,297 points, more than 300 ahead of second place. After running the fastest 60m hurdles prelims time (7.88), Shields clocked a time of 7.881 for his second gold of the weekend. His mark of 7.24m (23’-9”) was just short of his personal-best and good for second place.
Mark Rinker is the 2023 MAC Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. Rinker coached the Eagles to 76 points in the 800, mile, 3000, 5000, and DMR.
Kadeja Campbell of Northern Illinois is the 2023 MAC Women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer after she won three titles at the MAC Indoor Championships, claiming a pair of individual honors while also helping NIU win the 4x400-meter relay. Campbell won the 200-meter dash, running a converted school record time of 23.71 seconds. She also won the 400-meter dash for the second consecutive year, becoming just the third Huskie to repeat as a MAC Champion at the conference indoor championships. Campbell capped the conference meet by helping the Huskies win the 4x400 meter title for the second time in program history.
Charity Griffith of Ball State scored 20 points at the MAC championship and was named the 2023 MAC Women’s Most Outstanding Field Performer. She won the Pentathlon with a score of 4315, which is currently ranked 15th nationally. Along with her Pentathlon title, Charity captured gold in the High Jump breaking the MAC record after previously breaking it the day prior in the pentathlon with a jump of 1.90meters.
Matt Bigelow of Ball State was named the 2023 MAC Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year. Coach Bigelow’s group score at the MAC indoor track and field championships was 46.25 points out of the 83 total points Ball State scored as a team. Ball State finished in second place, their highest ranking at the MAC indoor championships since 2006. Ball State earned the most points as a program since 2008.
Men's Coach of the Year
Sue Parks, Eastern Michigan
Men's Most Valuable Performer
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Freshman Track Performers of the Year
Brian Masai, Akron
Freshman Field Performer of the Year
Ayden Bath, Kent State
Men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Men’s Most Outstanding Field Performer
Alex Shields, Kent State
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Mark Rinker, Eastern Michigan
Men’s Track and Field First Team:
Kaleb Simpson, Eastern Michigan (60m,200m, 4x400)
Jimmy Harkelroad, Akron (400m)
Carson McCoy, Eastern Michigan (800m)
Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan (1600m, 3000m, 5000m)
Alex Shields, Kent State (60m Hurdles, Heptathlon, Long Jump)
Shakorie Davis II, Kent State (4x400)
Asa Hodrick, Kent State (4x400)
Jonathan Solomon, Kent State (4x400)
Quintin Cooks, Kent State (4x400, 800m)
Dylan McBride, Kent State (DMR)
Kyle Sommer, Kent State (DMR)
Baidy Ba, Kent State (DMR)
Trey Double, Kent State (DMR)
Nuh Andu, Akron (High Jump)
Hunter Garretson, Akron (Pole Vault)
Oscar Prieto, Akron (Pole Vault)
Yvan Lopes Ribeiro, Eastern Michigan (Long Jump, 60m Hurdles)
Alexandre Malanda, Kent State (Triple Jump)
Jonathan Surdej, Buffalo (Shot Put)
Newlyn Stephenson, Eastern Michigan (Weight Throw)
Men’s Track and Field Second Team:
Jaheim Jones, Kent State (60m, 200m)
Charles Sanders, Akron (400m)
Toby Gualter, Eastern Michigan (1600m)
Brian Masai, Akron (3000m, 5000m)
Richie Sadler, Eastern Michigan (4x400, Triple Jump)
Dante Lander, Eastern Michigan (4x400)
Kyle Martin, Eastern Michigan (4x400)
Cory Demo, Buffalo (DMR)
Fernando Sanchez, Buffalo (DMR)
Noah Brightman, Buffalo (DMR)
Evan Hilbert, Buffalo (DMR)
Brendan Hill, Eastern Michigan (High Jump)
Josiah Cox, Akron (Shot Put)
Milton Wilson, Akron (Weight Throw)
Ayden Bath, Kent State (Heptathlon)
Women's Coach of the Year
Sue Parks, Eastern Michigan
Women's Most Valuable Performer
Charity Griffith, Ball State
Women's Freshman Track Performer of the Year
Alana Springer, Ball State
Women's Freshman Field Performer of the Year
Svenia DeConinck, Kent State
Women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer
Kadeja Campbell, Northern Illinois
Women’s Most Outstanding Field Performer
Charity Griffith, Ball State
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Matt Bigelow, Ball State
Women’s Track and Field First Team:
Amya Clark, Akron (60m)
Kadeja Campbell, Northern Illinois (200m, 400m, 4x400)
Kayla Jones, Ball State (800m)
Lou Trois, Toledo (1600m, DMR)
Carmen Riano, Miami (3000m, 5000m)
Makayla Perez, Western Michigan (5000m)
Angel Gazaway, Eastern Michigan (60m Hurdles)
Christine Irving, Northern Illinois (4x400)
Roshell Rowe, Northern Illinois (4x400)
Jahnetta Jones, Northern Illinois (4x400)
Kailee Perry, Bowling Green (DMR)
Darian Braddix, Bowling Green (DMR)
Izzy Best, Bowling Green (DMR)
Katerina Shuble, Bowling Green (DMR,1600m)
Charity Griffith, Ball State (High Jump, Pentathlon)
Leah Pasqualetti, Kent State (Pole Vault)
Christina Wende, Buffalo (Long Jump)
Brianna Richard, Bowling Green (Triple Jump)
Zaresha Neal, Bowling Green (Shot Put)
Grace Luther, Kent State (Weight Throw)
Women’s Track and Field Second Team:
Saraiah Walkes, Eastern Michigan (60m, 200m)
Mair Edwards, Eastern Michigan (400m)
Chloie Musta, Eastern Michigan (800m)
Annie Christie, Miami (3000m)
Grace Johnson, Western Michigan (60m Hurdles)
Jericha Petrella, Central Michigan (4x400)
Annie Laurenz, Central Michigan (4x400)
Peyton Korytkowski, Central Michigan (4x400)
Emma Fountain, Central Michigan (4x400)
Emily Vining, Toledo (DMR)
Jaydon Cirincione, Toledo (DMR)
Ava Moran, Toledo (DMR)
Elle Miller, Miami (High Jump)
Katherine Mendenhall, Bowling Green (High Jump)
Maura Lane, Eastern Michigan (Pole Vault)
Hayley Manners, Central Michigan (Long Jump)
Aliesha Shaw, Kent State (Shot Put)
Teasha McKoy, Buffalo (Weight Throw)
Jenelle Rogers, Ball State (Pentathlon)
