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TABLE OF CONTENTS & QUICK FACTS
2018-19 Schedule................................................................2
University Quick Facts
- Location
- Ypsilanti, Mich.
1849
21.105
Dr. James M. Smith
Eagles
Table of Contents/Quick Facts........................................3 Athletic Media Relations...................................................4 Track Information/Directions..........................................5 Head Coach Sue Parks ...................................................6-7 Assistant Coaching Staff ...............................................8-9 2018-19 Roster .................................................................. 10 2018-19 Season Preview..........................................11-12 The Mid-American Conference ................................... 13 2019 MAC Indoor Championships............................. 14 2018 MAC Outdoor Championships ......................... 15 EMU Track and Field Record Book........................16-24 Eastern Michigan University...................................25-27 Board of Regents .............................................................. 28 Scott Wetherbee.........................................................29-30 NCAA Compliance............................................................ 31 The EMU Identity.............................................................. 32 E-Club Hall of Fame ......................................................... 33
Founded Enrollment President Nickname
- Colors
- Green (349) and White
- Mid-American (MAC)
- Conference
Athletic Department
President Athletic Director Senior Associate AD Senior Associate AD
Dr. James M. Smith Scott Wetherbee
Erin Kido
Dan McLean Andy Rowdon Karen Schiferl
Senior Associate AD Associate AD for Academics Associate AD for Business Operations Associate AD for Compliance Associate AD for Media Relations Associate AD for Sports Medicine Assistant AD for Equipment Operations Assistant AD for Marketing Faculty Athletic Representative
Stacie McMullen Matthew Jakobsze
Greg Steiner
Gretchen Buskirk
Ben Herman
Ricky Zum Mallen Dr. Edward Sidlow
Women’s Track and Field Staff
Head Coach (Year) Alma Mater Office Phone Number Email
Sue Parks (13th year) Eastern Michigan, ‘80
734.487.0262 [email protected]
- Chris Best
- Assistant Coach
- Alma Mater
- Liberty, ‘10
Email Assistant Coach Alma Mater [email protected]
Arthur Ignaczak
Mount St. Mary’s, ‘10
- [email protected]
Athletic Media Relations
- Associate AD for Athletic Media Relations
- Greg Steiner
Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations Graduate Assistant/Track and Field Email Cell Phone Creative Video Intern Student Assistant Student Assistant Office Phone Mailing Address
Katie Gonzales Kyler Ludlow Maddie Heaps [email protected]
510.332.5247
Credits
- Editor/Layout:
- Maddie Heaps
Greg Steiner Katie Gonzales Kyler Ludlow
Frank Kurtz
Jessica Crusan Barry Keyes
Assistant Editors:
734.487.0317/8
799 N. Hewitt Rd. Convocation Center
Room 307
Ypsilanti, MI 48197 EMUEagles.com
Photography
Chloe Smith, Randy Mascharka, Andrew Mascharka, Walt Middleton, Dick Schwarze,
Wolverine Photo, Steve King
Website
2018 Team Information
2018 MAC Indoor Finish 2018 MAC Outdoor Finish
The 2018-19 EMU Women’s Track & Field Media Guide is provided as a service to accredited media and opponents.
1st (154 points)
2nd (122 points)
Information is current as of Jan. 17, 2019.
© COPYRIGHT EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
The 2018-19 EMU Women’s Track and Field Media Guide was written by the EMU Athletic Media Relations Office. All text and photo content is property of Eastern Michigan University and can not be reproduced without permission from the EMU Athletic Media Relations Office.
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EMU ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
- Greg Steiner
- Katie Gonzales
- Kyler Ludlow
- Barry Keyes
- Maddie Heaps
- Jessica Crusan
- Frank Kurtz
Associate Athletic Director/Media Relations.......................................................................................................................Greg Steiner
Office Phone..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 734.487.0317 Cellular Phone.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 734.845.1132 E-mail ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... [email protected] Primary Sports Covered ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................Football and Golf
Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations................................................................................................................Katie Gonzales
Office Phone..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 734.487.0318 Cellular Phone.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 773.512.6079 E-mail ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. [email protected] Primary Sports Covered ........................................................................................................................................................................ Women’s Soccer and Women’s Basketball
Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations................................................................................................................... Kyler Ludlow
Office Phone..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 734.487.0318 Cellular Phone.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 937.489.4744 E-mail ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... [email protected] Primary Sports Covered ............................................................................................................................................................................. Volleyball, Men’s Basketball and Tennis
Athletic Media Relations Graduate Assistant ...................................................................................................................Maddie Heaps
Office Phone..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 734.487.0317 Cellular Phone................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 510.332.5247 E-mail ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. [email protected] Primary Sports Covered ........................................................................................................................................ Cross Country, Swimming & Diving, Rowing, Track & Field
Athletic Media Relations Creative Video Intern.....................................................................................................................Frank Kurtz
Office Phone..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 734.487.0317 Cellular Phone................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 734.476.8246 E-mail ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................f[email protected] Primary Sports Covered ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Creative Video
Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant....................................................................................................................................................Jessica Crusan
Celluar Phone................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 248.982.4279 E-mail ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................c[email protected] Primary Sports Covered ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Gymnastics
Athletic Media Relations Student Assistant..........................................................................................................................................................Barry Keyes Celluar Phone.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................410.739.2108 E-mail .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................kkeyes3@emich.edu
HOW TO GET EMU CROSS COUNTRY INFORMATION
The Eastern Michigan University Athletic Media Relations office:
Cross Country Contact: Maddie Heaps...................................................510.332.5247
The Internet:
Log on to the World Wide Web to get all of the latest Eastern Michigan University Athletics Information, including up-to-date cross country results and weekly releases: www.emueagles.com
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TRACK INFORMATION & DIRECTIONS
Directions to Bowen Field House/Bob Parks Track
From the north:
U.S. 23 to Washtenaw Avenue (exit 37A); head east on Washtenaw to Oakwood; turn left on Oakwood and proceed to the parking garage on the east side of the street at the bottom of the hill. The three buildings are just to the east of the parking garage.
From the south:
See above directions from the north.
From the east:
I-94 west to Huron Street; head north on Huron Street to Cross Street; turn left at Cross to Hewitt; turn right at Oakwood and see directions above from the north.
From the west:
I-94 east to U.S. 23 north; exit U.S. 23 at Washtenaw Avenue (exit 37A) and follow directions above (from the north).
Directions to Rynearson Stadium, home of the Olds/Marshall/Parks Track
By air:
Arriving at Detroit Metro Airport, take I-94 west to Michigan Avenue exit (exit 181B). Get in the far left lane and turn left on Hewitt. Head north on Hewitt for 2.5 miles, past Washtenaw avenue. Rynearson Stadium, which houses the track, is on the east side of the road.
From the north:
U.S. 23 south to Washtenaw Avenue east (exit 37A); take Washtenaw to Hewitt Road; turn left on Hewitt and proceed to
Rynearson Stadium.
From the south:
U.S. 23 north to Washtenaw Avenue east (exit 37A); take Washtenaw to Hewitt Road; turn left on Hewitt and proceed to Rynearson Stadium.
From the east:
(A) Take I-94 west to Michigan Avenue exit (exit 181B). Get in the far left lane and turn left on Hewitt Road. Head north on Hewitt for 2.5 miles, past Washtenaw Avenue. The stadium is on the east side of the street.
(B) Take I-96 west to M-14 west. Follow M-14 to U.S. 23 south. Go south to Washtenaw Avenue east (exit 37A); take
Washtenaw to Hewitt Road; turn left on Hewitt and proceed to Rynearson Stadium.
From the west:
Take I-94 east to Michigan Avenue exit (exit 181). Turn left and get in the far left lane. Turn left on Hewitt and head north on Hewitt approximately 2.5 miles, past Washtenaw. The stadium is on the east side of the road.
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HEAD COACH SUE PARKS
HEAD COACH
Sue Parks
13TH YEAR AT EMU - EASTERN MICHIGAN ‘80
NCAA Cross Country Championship both Bogdanova and McDermitt to Allappearances, with the 2017 team American recognition in 2017 for their finishing in ninth place, the best finish in outdoor 5000m performances, while program history. Furthermore, the 2017 also leading McDermitt to the same Eagles’Distance Medley relay qualified laurel later during the cross country for the NCAA Indoor Championship, season. Her accomplishments as a earning All-American recognition for head coach are not only noticed within their performance, while the 2018 DMR the MAC, named coach of the year squad was ranked seventh in the nation more times than any of her conference for their medley efforts. Additionally, track and field colleagues, but also are her 2018 4 x 1500 relay squad ran the celebrated regionally, as she has been third-fastest time in the NCAA, making named Great Lakes Regional coach of Eastern one of just three schools the year two times in her career.
Sue Parks, a former EMU track great, a member of the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame and the daughter of legendary men’s track coach Bob Parks, is now in her 13th year at the helm of the Eagles’ cross country and track and field programs. with both relays ranked in the top-10 nationwide.
Parks is not only a leader of cross country at the helm of the Eagles, but
Eagles’ runners have individually has worked tirelessly at the national thrived under Parks’leadership, setting level to promote the interests of the 16 school indoor and outdoor event NCAA Cross Country community. She records, while 145 performances in has served as a regional representative, her 12 years have marked spots in the at-large representative, second Vice top-10 ranks of school history. She was President, and vice president of integral in leading both Alsu Bogdanova the NCAA Division I Cross Country and Jordan McDermitt to historic Executive committee throughout her careers in the Green and White, aiding career.
Since her return to Ypsilanti in 2006, the Eagles have seen unparalleled success. Her tenure with the Green and White includes five track and field conference championships, four straight MAC cross country championships, in addition to being named coach of the year in her three specialties a combined eight times. Parks won her first conference championship with the Green and White in 2011, when the Eagles nabbed their first league title in 11 years during their indoor season. Since her first title win, she has accumulated eight more championships, including the last four Mid-American Conference Cross Country titles. Moreover, she has led the school to capture 31 individual event conference indoor medals and 32 league outdoor medals, while directing four cross country runners to first place finishes at the conference championship. On the national stage, Parks led both the 2016 and 2017 Eagles’ teams to
- both runners in their paths to earning
- Prior to returning to EMU as the head
All-American honors. Parks directed coach of the women’s track program,
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HEAD COACH SUE PARKS
cross country coach at Ann Arbor Huron High School from 1979-83.
Parks enjoyed tremendous success in a 12-year tenure at Ball State from 1994-2006, winning eight MAC titles and finishing runner-up 10 times in track and cross country. She was named MAC Women’s Coach of the Year a total of eight times, four for indoor track (1996, 1998, 2001), four for outdoor track (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001) and one for cross country (2003). In addition, she was selected as an NCAA Regional Coach of theYear in indoor and outdoor track in 1998. Her 2002 cross country team became just the third MAC team to ever qualify for the NCAA Championship when it accomplished the feat in 2002.
Parks is certainly no stranger to EMU and the Ypsilanti area. She was raised inYpsilanti and attendedYpsilanti High School where she was an outstanding cross country and track competitor. She was a Michigan high school champion and former record holder in the 800 meters and also competed for the United States in the Pan American Games. Parks went on to graduate from EMU with a bachelor’s degree in 1980 and a master’s degree in 1988. While an undergraduate, Parks was a MAC Cross Country Invitational champion in 1976, 1977 and 1978 and was also an Olympic Trials qualifier. She was elected to the EMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992. Her father, Bob Parks, was the head men’s track and field and head men’s cross country coach at EMU for 34 years, from 1967-2000.
From 1990-94 she was an assistant cross country and track coach for both the men’s and women’s programs at the University of Arizona. Her UA women’s cross country squads placed 11th, 14th, and 12th at the NCAA Championship in 1991, 1992 and 1993, respectively. Her 1993 cross country team won the NCAA District 8 championship. She was also named NCAA District 8 Coach of theYear after the 1993 cross country season. During her tenure at Arizona, she coached seven All-Americans in women’s cross country and track, including the 1994 5,000-meter champion in the NCAA indoor track championship. Before heading to Arizona, Parks was the head women’s cross country coach and assistant women’s track coach at Michigan State University from 1988-90. She was a graduate assistant coach for the EMU men’s track team from 1987-88. From 1984-87, she was the women’s headcrosscountrycoachandwomen’s assistant track coach at the University of Michigan. She coached eight All-Americans in cross country and was selected as Big Ten Conference Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1986. Her other coaching stints include serving as the head women’s track coach at Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard in 1982 and the head women’s
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EMU TRACK & FIELD COACHING STAFF
ASSISTANT COACH
Chris Best
5TH YEAR AT EMU - LIBERTY, 2010
- The 2018-19 season marks the fifth year Chris Best has served
- All-MAC honors three times, and was a key piece in the school
record-setting 400 relay performance, as well as the thirdbest outdoor 1600 relay. Moreover, Johnston’s personal-best 200m time of 24.08 ranks eighth all-time in EMU laurels, while her indoor 400m time of 54.92 ranks eighth, and her outdoor 400m time of 54.12 currently ranks ninth all-time in the outdoor record book.
Best came to the Eagles after a season-long stint at Garden
City Community College in Kansas, where he coached sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes as an assistant coach. He also served as the primary recruiting coordinator as well as assisted with various administrative duties.
Prior to his work with the Broncbusters, Best was a graduate assistant coach atTroy University between 2012-13. In addition to designing training and conditioning plans for the sprints, hurdles, jumps, and multi-event athletes, he also served as the assistant recruiting coordinator. Best started off his coaching career at Iowa Western Community College, serving as an assistant coach from 2011-12, where he worked with the hurdles, pole vault, and multi-event athletes, as well as served as the head strength and conditioning coach for the track program.
Best adds a successful career as a student-athlete to his coaching experience, as he was a member of the track and field team at Liberty University from 2007-10. He competed in the sprints on a team that dominated the Big South Conference with championship titles in every one of his seasons. In 2009, he was a member of the winning 4x400m relay team. Best stayed on with the Flames for an extra year to serve as an intern for the program and taking on administrative and analytical duties while he completed his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. as an assistant coach with the women’s track and field team, coaching the sprints, hurdles, and relay teams for the Eagles.
Under Best, the Eagles have thrived, winning three indoor
MAC Championships (2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18), as well as assisting the team to both indoor and outdoor MAC Championships in 2015-16, and helping secure the team’s first triple crown in school history.
Most recently, Best had monumental success with the 400 and 1600 relay teams in the 2017-18 season. On top of the 400 relay team winning the outdoor conference championship for the third straight year, the quartet tied the school and conference record at the TCU Invite, recording a time of 44.99. Moreover, the 1600 relay team clocked the third-fastest time in program history during the outdoor campaign, running to a time of 3:37.31 at the Penn Relays.
Individually, Best has aided some of the most dominant sprinters in not only the MAC, but in Eastern Michigan history. Specifically, Best has personally assisted Jasmine Jones, Jessica Harris, and Micah Johnston on their rise to success. Jones closed out her career at EMU qualifying to the NCAA East Regional, where she ran the second-fastest 200m time in school history (23.20). Before that, Jones was named the Most Outstanding Female Track Performer in the 2017-18 indoor championship, was a three-time 200m conference champion, and two-time 400m champion, as well as being a member of the recordsetting 400, 1600 relay squads.
Heading into her last year donning the Green and White,
Harris has found success ever since first stepping intoYpsilanti. In her first year, Best coached her to Indoor Freshman of the Year honors, as well as a runner-up finish in the 60m dash. Additionally in her rookie campaign, Harris posted a top10 time in school history in the 60m. Since then, Best has helped Harris etch her name in the outdoor record book, as she recorded the fifth-best 100m time with a mark of 11.60, as well as being a member of the 400 relay team that tied the program record (44.99). Harris is a three-time First Team All-MAC honoree, and has also captured two silver and three bronze medals.
Since he began coaching, Best has mentored 12 All-MAC athletes and 8 NCAA Regional qualifiers at the NCAA Division I level. During his time at the NJCAA level, he saw seven school records broken during the indoor and outdoor seasons between his athletes, and 31 student-athletes qualified for national championship competition.
Best also received his USATF Level 2 coaching certification for sprints, hurdles, and relays, as well as the USTFCCCA Jumps Specialist Certification. Additionally, he recently added his USTFCCCA Sprints/Hurdles/Relays Certification, as well as his USTFCCCA Strength & Conditioning Certification.
Having only competed in two seasons thus far as an Eagle,
Best has oversaw Johnston’s emergence as a young force to be reckoned with. In her brief career at EMU, Johnston has been named a FirstTeam All-MAC honoree, has earned SecondTeam