YPSILANTI (EMUEagles.com) -- It will be a short trek for the Eastern Michigan University men's and women's track teams as the programs head down Washtenaw for the Annual Simmons-Harvey Invitational at the University of Michigan, Saturday, Jan. 22.
The men are looking to build on their successes this year, as many athletes are already showing mid-season form. Sophomore hurdler
Vanier Joseph posted the eighth-best time so far this year in the 60-meter hurdles with his 60-meter hurdle time of 7.87 at the CMU Invite on Jan. 14.
Junior
Kevin Lanier is also on a tear early in the season, setting the seventh-best mark this season in the heptathlon. His score of 5224 at the Grand Valley State Holiday Meet was also an EMU record.
Distance runner
Terefe Ejigu was able to crack the top-25 times nationally with his performances in the mile and 3,000-meter runs. His mile time of 4:10.72 at the Chippewa Invite ranks 25th, while his time of 8:19.63 in the 3,000 ranks 21st.
On the women's side, sophomore sprinter
Ashlee Abraham is quickly making herself a nationally-recognized name, with a top-20 200-meter dash performance and another near-record-breaking performance in the 60-meter dash in a home meet earlier this month. Abraham won the Mid-American Conference Female Track Athlete of the Week for her performances.
Newcomer
Shnell Wishart has also shown why she was such a touted recruit, posting the ninth-best triple jump in the nation thus far with a leap of 41-01.75. Other outstandin Eagle performances include senior captain
Lauren Quaintance and her 10th-best 800-meter run time of 2:11.29 at the GVSU Holiday Meet, and
Shantavia Williams, who has already posted wins in the 400-meter run and the 4x400-meter run.
The meet will begin at 11 a.m. at the Indoor Track Building.
Schedule of Events
Field
11 a.m. - Weight Throw (W), Shot Put (M)
11:30 a.m. - Pole Vault (W)
Noon - High Jump (M)
12:30 p.m. - Long Jump (M/W), 35-lb. Weight Throw (M)
1:30 p.m. - Pole Vault (M), High Jump (W)
2:00 p.m. - Shot Put (W), Triple Jump (M/W)
Track
1 p.m. - 60-meter Hurdles Preliminaries (W)
1:10 p.m. - 60-meter Hurdles Preliminaries (M)
1:20 p.m. - 60-meter Dash Preliminaries (W)
1:30 p.m. - 60-meter Dash Preliminaries (M)
1:45 p.m. - Mile Run (W)
1:55 p.m. - Mile Run (M)
2:10 p.m. - 60-meter Hurdles Finals (W)
2:15 p.m. - 60-meter Hurdles Finals (M)
2:20 p.m. - 400-meter Dash (W)
2:25 p.m. - 400-meter Dash (M)
2:35 p.m. - 60-meter Dash Finals (W)
2:45 p.m. - 60-meter Dash Finals (M)
2:55 p.m. - 600-meter Run (W)
3:05 p.m. - 600-meter Run (M)
3:15 p.m. - 800-meter Run (W)
3:25 p.m. - 800-meter Run (M)
3:40 p.m. - 200-meter Dash (W)
3:50 p.m. - 200-meter Dash (M)
4:05 p.m. - 3,000-meter Run (W)
4:20 p.m. - 3,000-meter Run (M)
4:35 p.m. - 4x400-meter Relay (W)
4:45 p.m. - 4x400-meter Relay (M)
