MAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Donovan Crawford, Kent State, Redshirt Junior, Twinsburg, Ohio/Aurora
Event: Penn State National Open
Results: Weight Throw, 4th | 19.51m/64' 0.25" | 1st/90th
Donovan Crawford unleashed a MAC-leading heave of 19.51m (64' 0.25") to set a personal-best and place fourth in weight throw at the Penn State National Open. Crawford ranks 90th on the NCAA performance list this season and beat his previous PR by more than 3 feet.
MAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Andrew Styles, Akron, So., Freeport, Bahamas
Event: Akron Invitational
Results: 400M-1st | 47.48 | 1/81
Akron sophomore Andrew Styles captured the men’s 400 meters at the Akron Invitational on Friday (Jan. 31) in a career-best time of 47.48, the fastest time in the MAC this season.
Other Men’s Field Nominees
Owen Wendl, Akron, Jr. (R), Medina, Ohio
Event: Akron Invitational
Results: Shot Put-2nd | 57-1.50 (17.41m) | 2/98
Akron redshirt junior turned in a career-best mark of 57-1.50 (17.41m), the second-best mark in the MAC this season, in the men's shot put at the Akron Invitational on Friday (Jan. 31).
Brian Murphy, Buffalo, Junior, Neshanic Station, N.J./ Somerville High School
Event: Penn State National Open
Results: Men's Pole Vault (open) - 1st place | 4.90m/16'00.75" #4 in MAC, #6 in NCAA NE
Brian had a breakthrough performance with a 20cm personal best in the Pole Vault to win the Penn State National Open division of the men's Pole Vault.
Samuel Jeffery, Eastern Michigan, Sophomore, Fonthill, Ontario/E.L. Crossley Secondary Event: Jet's Pizza Invitational
Results: Heptathlon - 2nd | 4,924 Points | 1st/n/a
Eastern Michigan sophomore multi athlete Samuel Jeffery recorded a conference-best 4,924 points for a second-place finish in the heptathlon at the Jet's Pizza Invitational, hosted by Saginaw Valley State, Jan. 31-Feb. 1. Jeffery recorded first-place finishes in two events while finishing third once, and inside the top five in six out of seven events. On his way to silver, the sophomore tabbed five personal-best marks including day one (2,825), day two (2,099), and final (4,924) heptathlon scores. Furthermore, he set PRs in the long jump (6.81m/22-04.25), high jump (1.88m/6-02.00), and 1000m (2:47.13). On top of EMU program top 10 heptathlon marks in day one and day two scores, Jeffery grabbed top 10 marks in three events, most notable in the 1000m, where he clocked the program's fourth-fastest time heptathlon time.
Other Men’s Track Nominees
Collin Stafford, Buffalo, Freshman, Lyons Falls, NY/South Lewis HS
Event: Penn State National Open
Results: Mile, 4:15.62, 38th place | 3000m, 8:22.61, 3rd place | 4:15.62/Mile: 8:22.61/3000m | Mile Ranked #10 in MAC, 3000m ranked #9 in MAC
Collin Stafford had to major personal best performance marks at the Penn State National Open. He lowered his Mile PR to 4:15.62, and shattered his 3000m best with a time of 8:22.61.
Kian Wiles, Eastern Michigan, Junior, Hull, England/St. Mary's College
Event: Meyo Invitational
Results: Mile Run - 2nd | 4:03.26 | 1st/n/a
Racing against some of the best distance competition in the country, Eastern Michigan junior Kian Wiles rose to the occasion, finishing second in the open mile out of 37 competitors in a personal-best 4:03.26 at the Meyo Invitational, hosted by Notre Dame, Jan. 31-Feb. His time marks the fastest time in the conference this season by 2.06 seconds. Moreover, Wiles was the highest-finishing group of five student-athlete. The race continued his strong start to the indoor season, as he has set a PR in all three races he has run this season.
Zamen Siyoum, Kent State, Track, Senior, Columbus, Ohio/Pickerington North
Event: Penn State National Open
Results: 60m Hurdles, 3rd | 7.98 | 1st/109th
Zamen Siyoum ran the MAC's fastest 60-meter hurdles times in both the prelims and finals at the Penn State National Open on Friday and finished third in a personal-best 7.98 seconds. Siyoum ranks 109th in the NCAA this season and #5 in the Kent State record book.
