RECAP: Day 2 of the MAC Track and Field Indoor Championships
Freshman April Micheaux performs a high-jump at the Jack Skoog indoor track during the MAC Indoor Track Championships.
Despite a “great team performance” on Saturday, both the Central Michigan University men's and women's track and field teams fell short of a championship title during the 2015 Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships at Jack Skoog Indoor Track.
The men finished in fifth place overall, with 64 points. The women finished eighth out of 12 teams. The University of Akron men and Eastern Michigan University women each took home the championship trophy.
Mark Guthrie, director of CMU track and field, said he knew his teams were out of championship contention going into Saturday, but was pleased with his team’s ability to compete nonetheless.
“I’m happy with the effort,” Guthrie said. “We still have work to do. But with the talent we have here, I thought they really reached down and deep and really got the job done.”
The Chippewas notched their lone individual championship from junior high jumper Matt Mueller, who won the event at 2.10 meters. Sophomore Melvin Harris picked up a point to finish in sixth in the event.
Mueller said he only had two things on his mind when clearing the bar.
“Stay focused and relaxed,” Mueller said.
Guthrie had confidence in his supreme high jumper, who cleared seven feet in the event in January at home.
“We knew coming in we didn’t have a chance to win but I knew we were going to win the high jump,” Guthrie said. “Mueller came in tied for the lead, and he came out with the lead. I thought Mel did a good job getting us sixth place.”
CMU kicked off the day with a second-place finish in the men’s shot put from junior co-captain Cole Walderzak who had a throw of 17.99 meters, which gave him a new personal record. He fell short of University at Buffalo’s Jonathan Jones' mark, which broke his own MAC record three times to win the event at 20.06 meters.
“It was a great effort by (Walderzak),” Guthrie said. “That’s what you’re looking for as a coach when you talk about going out and competing.”
Devene Brown broke the CMU indoor school record in the shot put with a mark of 15.39 meters, good enough for fourth place. Guthrie was proud of the junior standout.
“I’m really excited for her,” Guthrie said. “I was pleased for her because she is a good kid, works hard, and it’s a long time coming so I was happy for her.”
Shaya Wilkerson rounded out the top performances in the field events with a third-place finish in the high jump (1.73 meters) and took fifth in the triple jump (11.94 meters).
Other notable finishes from the Chippewas came from sophomore Kelsey Ross, who placed fifth in the 800-meter run (2:13.92) and freshman Erick Huertas who finished in fourth place in the 400-meter dash (49.61). The men’s 4x400-meter relay team finished in second place (3:17.74), while the women finished in third.
“We just had a great team performance today,” Guthrie said. “We didn’t have a shot to win but I believe we competed extremely well.”
