EMU welcomed hundreds of student-athletes, coaches, and spectators from schools across the Old Dominion Athletic Conference on Friday and Saturday, April 24-25, for the 2026 ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

As part of the university’s two-year agreement to host the annual event, this marked the second consecutive year the championships have been held at EMU. Last year was the first time EMU had hosted them since 2005.

The two-day event provided an exciting opportunity for EMU to showcase its campus and state-of-the-art track and field complex, which opened in October 2024. The facility is one of only a few in the ODAC that meets NCAA certification standards and can be configured to allow athletes to run, jump, and throw with the tailwind.

More than 120 volunteers assisted with events in rain, wind, sun, and changing temperatures. EMU faculty and staff from across departments, along with students, alumni, community members, and the athletics department, all contributed to making the meet a success.

Filipo Toelau competes in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2026 ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

Ahsan Abul-Qasim (left) placed third in the men’s long jump, while Josh Joseph (right) earned All-ODAC honors.

Two EMU student-athletes won medals at the championships.

Koran Rucker, EMU Athletics Male Freshman of the Year, was named ODAC champion in the men’s discus throw and hammer throw and placed second in the shot put. He became the first men’s track and field athlete to win multiple events in the same ODAC outdoor championship meet since Michael Allen ’13 claimed both the long jump and triple jump in 2011.

Ahsan Abul-Qasim placed third in both the men’s 200-meter dash and the men’s long jump.

They were two of five Royals to earn All-ODAC honors in at least one event, along with Nick Arnold, Josh Joseph, and Da’Shawn Winters.

Three women student-athletes contributed point-scoring performances at the championships: Elili Asefa in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, Lauren Kauffman in the 10,000 meters, and Faith Schultz in the high jump.

Read recaps of the championships from EMU Athletics below:

Friday

• Koran Rucker wins hammer throw to lead Royal men on Day 1 of ODAC Championships ()
• Three athletes score points for women’s track and field on Day 1 of ODAC Championships ()

Saturday

• Men’s track and field finishes fifth at ODAC Outdoor Championships ()

The two-day event provided an exciting opportunity for EMU to showcase its new state-of-the-art track & field complex, which opened in October 2024. EMU’s facility is one of only a few in the ODAC that meets NCAA certification standards and is designed to host events in multiple configurations, allowing athletes to run, jump, or throw with the tailwind. The championships will return to EMU next spring as part of the university’s two-year agreement to host the event.

Kyle Dickinson, head coach of EMU’s track and field team, said hosting the ODAC championships gave many of his athletes the chance to compete in front of their friends and family for the first time. “It’s huge for us,” he said. “We’re showing other schools that EMU is investing heavily in our track program and that it’s paying off.” It’s also helped recruit athletes, who are eager to compete at the new facility.

EMU first-year Emma Greer competed in the women’s shot put on Friday and discus on Saturday. She said having the event at EMU gave her college friends the chance to support her from the stands. “It’s great we get to host it here,” she said, “because our track and field facility doesn’t get enough credit for how nice it is.” One of those friends, Kassidy Meadows, a first-year student, said that she’s visited several track and field venues and that EMU’s is the best she’s seen. 

Between competing in the men’s shot put and hammer throw, EMU sophomore Will Ramos took a quick breather. He said hosting the conference championships at home made a big difference, cutting down on travel and giving him more time to rest and recover. “I’ve felt nervous at past conference meets, but I feel right at home here,” he said.

EMU’s track and field team has achieved significant success in recent years, said Justin McIlwee, communications director for EMU Athletics. “We’ve had multiple national qualifiers and back-to-back All-Americans, so hosting this event offered us a chance to show off a little bit.”

On Saturday, EMU sophomore Nick Arnold earned the title of ODAC champion by winning the 400-meter hurdles. Arnold is the Royals’ first ODAC men’s individual champion since Alijah Johnson won the 200-meter dash in 2022. Read more at .

A former track sprinter at EMU, Watson serves as a guide runner for a visually impaired sprinter from Liberia (who couldn’t make the trip to Paris) and helped train an amputee javelin thrower and amputee shot put thrower on the team. 

And although neither of the two Liberians competing at this year’s Paralympics, Angie Myers and Jutomu Kollie, medaled in their events, Myers qualified for the shot put finals, which is an impressive achievement for the developing team. 

“They did as well as they could with the limited resources and training they had,” said Watson, who advocates for more support of the Paralympic athletes. “Getting to know them and see their hard work pay off was incredibly fulfilling.”

Path to the Paralympics

When he’s not training Paralympians, Watson works as a residential area director at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. 

Before graduating from EMU with a psychology degree and Cords of Distinction honors in 2016, he interned at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County to satisfy a requirement for his major. That internship led to a staff position at the organization. After graduating, Watson was promoted to unit director and led the club for two years.

“If it hadn’t been for that class requiring community service hours, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to step outside my comfort zone and get into the mindset of doing what I can do to help others,” he said. 

Watson, a U.S. citizen whose parents emigrated from Liberia in the 1980s, initially sought to join the Liberian national track and field team ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. When that dream failed to materialize, he found another. He learned that former EMU track teammate had been chosen as a guide runner for the U.S. Paralympic team and sprang into action, researching as much as he could about Liberia’s Paralympic team and contacting its organizer. He began working with the team in 2019 to prepare for the Tokyo Paralympics (held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Learn more about Watson’s beginnings with the Liberian Paralympic team in this August 2021 article from EMU News.

Watson hopes to continue guiding and training the athletes for the 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles. “If they make it to LA, I’ll be there to support them every step of the way,” he said.

Kirk Shisler ‘81, vice president for advancement, introduced alumni in attendance spanning eight decades. Among them were Bob Hostetler ‘59 who “still runs the 100-meter dash like a jackrabbit,” according to Shisler; Roland Landes, an EMU cross-country coach for nine seasons starting in the ’60s and a 2024 Hall of Honor inductee; Hannah Chappell Dick ‘16, a five-time NCAA DIII All-American EMU runner with countless awards and seven school records; and Ryan Gehman ‘16, a star EMU runner, advocate, and speaker at the 2023 EMU TenTalks.

The program also featured remarks from Carrie Bert ‘97, director of athletics; Ray Ray Taylor, MS ‘24, an All-American track and field athlete; and Jim ‘68 and Gloria Horst Rosenberger ‘70 who put forth an early gift of $600,000 and a recent $400,000 challenge fund to encourage support for the track and field.

It’s not too late to give to the project! Donate now.

More than $4 million has been raised toward the $6 million campaign goal. President Susan Schultz Huxman thanked the “salt-of-the-earth, visionary supporters who stepped up with unwavering conviction going back nearly a decade.” And with student-athletes making up 43 percent of the first-year student population, she said it has been a long time coming.

Before attendees could set foot on the new track, Laura Rosenberger ’03 (EMU pole vault record holder for 21 years) and sophomore Micah Mast did a symbolic run with a pole, followed by a ceremonial relay lap with alumni, donors, students, and faculty/staff. These served as a “passing of the baton” to future generations of athletes who will use this state-of-the-art complex for years to come.

In 2009, Allen set EMU records for the indoor triple jump (14.43m) and indoor long jump (7m), and in 2010, he set the university record for the outdoor triple jump (14.85m) and tied the outdoor long jump record (7.26m) set by Jim Herr ‘79; those records still hold today. Allen also stands in the Top 10 in program history for the indoor high jump (1.92m), the indoor 55m dash (6.76s), and the outdoor 200m dash (22.3s).

Allen was twice named ODAC Rookie of the Year in 2009 (indoor and outdoor); he was also selected as Male Athlete of the Meet at the ODAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in 2009 and 2011. Allen qualified for the NCAA Track & Field Championships (indoor and outdoor in triple jump and long jump in 2009 and outdoor in triple jump in 2010).

A 2013 Cords of Distinction recipient, Allen said he was able to reshape who he was at EMU through track, music, and meeting people. “It really brought me out of my shell.” Allen is currently the lead musician at Harvest Church of God in Charlottesville and continues to play bass at his home House of God church in Gordonsville, Virginia.

As head men’s cross-country coach, Landes oversaw teams that won four National Christian Colleges Athletic Association (NCCAA) championships and two ODAC championships, including the inaugural ODAC championship in 1976. Another coaching highlight came when Landes stepped in as head men’s basketball coach for the 1972-1973 season: “It was the first year Lou Campanelli was at James Madison. They had scholarship players, and we hadn’t recruited at all. We beat them 72-71.”

Landes finished his 16-year EMU coaching career in 1983 with a 223-141 record. He also served as assistant professor of physical education from 1968-1982 and as supervisor of auxiliary services from 1984 until his retirement in 1998. He has fond memories of his time working with students in the classroom and on the playing fields. “The kids were just a joy to teach and to coach, and they didn’t hold anything back. They always gave 100 percent, and I really appreciated that and EMU’s spiritual emphasis that I thought was important for the whole person.

Give to EMU’s new track & field complex in honor of Landes here:

In 2005, Yoder set the university record in the 800m with a time of 1:52.92, a record that stood for 12 years and still stands third all-time. He was also crowned ODAC Champion in the 800m and qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In addition, Yoder—along with teammates Chad Hershberger, class of ‘07, Marcel Long, class of ‘07, and Jeremy Webster ‘07—set the EMU record in the 4×400 relay with a time of 3:18.38, a record that still stands today. In 2006, Yoder was named All-ODAC in the indoor 4×400 relay and the outdoor 800m and 4×400 relay. He again qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Yoder earned four more All-ODAC honors, two in 2007 and two in 2008, including an ODAC championship in the outdoor 800m.

Yoder says he has fond memories of his track teammates and the friendships he made at EMU. His wife Rachel Yoder ’10 is a fellow Royal, and since 2015 the two have owned a farm in Iowa with her parents. The couple has three children: Eve (9), Iris (6) and Willa (3).

She was a graduate assistant cross country and track & field coach for two years (2019–2021) at the University of Florida, where she earned her MBA. She was a volunteer assistant coach at Georgia Tech from 2018–2019 and of men’s and women’s cross country at EMU in 2017. As a student-athlete at EMU, Chappell-Dick was one of 30 NCAA Women of the Year Honorees, a five-time NCAA DIII All-American and held school records in seven events.

“I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of the Brown Women’s XC Program as the new head coach,” Chappell-Dick said. “The women on this team have always had a strong, inclusive culture. We have been fostering a new level of dedication to the pursuit of competitive excellence. Every woman on the roster plays an important role in both maintaining the supportive culture that they have built and challenging each other to pursue higher goals. Women who trust each other will fight for each other, and that’s our vision for this team.”

The new track and field complex is a strategic initiative of the university’s Forward Together Capital Campaign; $3.05 million has been raised, more than halfway toward the $6 million campaign goal. The new track will include an upgrade from six to eight lanes; the regrading and installation of a 10-millimeter full-pour polyurethane surface; and on-location throwing areas and steeplechase. The complex will support EMU student athletes and coaches, EMU’s enrollment goals, and the campus and local communities at large.

The event program features comments from EMU President Susan Schultz Huxman, Harrisonburg Mayor and EMU Regional Advancement Director Deanna Reed, and EMU Director of Athletics Carrie Bert ’97. The EMU track and field team will also recognize its 10 seniors during the event.

For more information on the new track and field complex, visit emu.edu/campaign/track-and-field. To livestream the groundbreaking event, visit.

Ryun tried EMU for the first time last summer, moving his training camp from in Pennsylvania. He returned this summer and says he’ll be back with his campers in 2015 and, he hopes, for many years to come.

“Today is the day, 48 years ago, that I set the world record for the mile in Berkeley, California,” Ryun told an EMU reporter on July 17. He sounded thoughtful rather than boastful, as he sat on the grass under a tree by the EMU track patiently answering questions that he has probably answered a million times before.

It also happened to be the 48th anniversary of the day that somebody named Anne Snider approached Ryun after he had been signing autographs for a long time and asked for one for herself. He politely declined her request but held out the promise to comply at some future time, maybe even after he returned to his University of Kansas. He did learn that she happened to be visiting California and was enrolled at arch-rival Kansas State.

Lifelong partnership with Anne, close family

Somehow it all worked out. Three years later – a year before Jim graduated from university – Anne and Jim were married and on their way to a lifelong partnership. He uses “we” more often than not in conversation – referring to the two of them becoming born-again Christians in 1972, raising four children (and adoring their 12 grandchildren), entering the political arena when Jim represented Kansas’ 2nd district in Congress, and holding camps for runners (largely high school aged) since 1973.

“You’ve got to meet Anne – she’ll be along soon,” Jim said as the reporter was putting away her notepad. And Anne came along just then, walking jauntily north toward the outdoor track from their rooms in Cedarwood residence hall, accompanied by one of their sons, 41-year-old Drew, and his wife, who help direct the camps with mom and dad Ryun.

Anne turned out to be all of 5’3” alongside her 6’3” husband, but the outsized warmth of her personality lent support to her husband’s contention that she was indispensable to his successful runs for Congress, where he was a fervent “small government” Republican in the House of Representatives, 1996-2007.

Ryun’s conservatism

In 2006, the named Jim , an honor that ranks with Jim’s running awards, to hear him speak. “I believe in small government, lower taxes, a debt-free nation, a strong military, a strong family, and less Social Security and Medicare.”

Jim’s and Anne’s twin sons, Ned and Drew, share that worldview. Ned started a group called in Northern Virginia to train conservative activists and to lobby for conservative policies. Jim Ryun is chair of a kindred organization, the , which seeks to enlarge the number of uncompromising conservatives in Congress. Drew works in both his brother’s and father’s organizations. In short, conservative politics are where this family puts their energies when they aren’t doing running camps or Jim isn’t giving motivational speeches.

But last week, July 13-18, Jim and Anne were utterly devoted to the 58 runners under their care in the Jim Ryun Running Camp at EMU, including five from , along with their coach, EMU junior Tyler Eshleman.

Eshleman was also the Ryun’s trouble-shooter and general go-to person on behalf of EMU during the camp. “He’s been great,” said Jim. “If I could take him everywhere with us, I’d love it.”

Immediate results seen

The love was mutual. “My athletes who attended are already spreading the word of the education, encouragement, and spiritual growth they experienced at the camp,” said Eshleman. “They are setting better goals, and showing new enthusiasm for their sport. I can only hope more of my team will take advantage of this marvelous opportunity next summer.”

, EMU’s cross country and track & field coach, was juggling competing demands on his time last week, yet he made a point of joining the Ryuns for their worship and learning sessions most of the week. “I am grateful for how Jim and Anne integrate faith into their running camp. . .[as well as] their emphasis on using the gift of running to honor God, the giver of that gift!”

In addition to the EMU camp in the Shenandoah Valley, the Ryuns hold one each summer near the beach in San Diego, California, and a third in the mountains of Greeley, Colorado, totaling up to 250 campers. In 2014, camp fees were $650 for an individual, with discounted fees for coaches and runners who come as a member of a team. Campers must be at least age 13 to come, but the camp website – – states that there is no upper age limit.

The website also makes it clear that the camp has a Christian atmosphere. “We believe well-rounded runners are those who are nurtured physically, mentally and spiritually,” says Jim, which is why devotional sessions based on biblical passages are an integral part of the camp.

Stand-out athleticism

Another accomplished Olympian, pentathlon athlete , is always part of the training team at the Ryun camp. (Click for a Runner’s World article on his coaching.)

Jim Ryun was one of the most famous and admired athletes of his day – named in 1966 (at age 19) as Sports Illustrated’s and as , among many other kudos.

He still holds five of the six fastest mile times in U.S. high school history, all under 4 minutes, and “most of them on much slower track surfaces than today’s,” . He won the silver medal for the 1500 m at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

Today, over 40 years after he set them, Ryun still holds the American junior (19 and under) records at 880 yd (1:44.9), 800 m (1:44.3), 1,500 m (3:36.1), and two miles (8:25.1).

Memories of Ryun’s running career, which ended in the mid 1970s, remain strong. In 2007, above such well-known figures as Tiger Woods, LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Growth expected at EMU site

The Jim Ryun Running Camp grew by about 40 percent between its first and second years at EMU. Ryun says they turn away applicants at the 100 camper mark at each of their three sites, a goal likely to be reached at EMU in the next two years at the rate things are going.

“There is no doubt that the Ryun Running Camp offers a great experience for the campers,” said Lewkowicz, who plans to commit more time to the camp in 2015. “To be able to spend a week with Jim Ryun, Jack Daniels, and the rest of the staff is worth the cost of registration alone. However, they work hard to ensure a great holistic experience for the camp attendees, integrating faith, team building, and fellowship, to the daily running and learning regimen. Any young runner would come out of the Jim Ryun Running Camp experience with a positive outlook on life and running.”

For this highly prestigious award conferred on African women, Doe was chosen as the sole representative of Liberia, her home country. She is the daughter of Felicia Politee and Sam Gbaydee Doe. Her father, employed by the , holds from EMU.

“The 2013 Fellows are between the ages of 19 and 25, but are already actively leading change on pertinent issues, both at the grassroots and international level,” said a news release from the Milead Fellows program. “From poverty to women’s economic empowerment, environmental justice and political participation, this new generation of African women leaders are proof that Africa can produce the bold, visionary and inspirational leadership needed to lift Africa to its rightful place on the global stage.”

Samfee Doe double-majored in and at EMU and is now enrolled in St. George’s University in Grenada, pursuing both a medical degree and a master’s in public health. The Milead Fellowship requires her to attend a three-week leadership conference in Ghana, plus conduct a project to benefit the country she represents. Doe likely will be juggling a year-long public health project in Liberia with clinical rotations in the United States, which she expects to begin in the spring of 2014.

In 2011-12, Doe was accepted into the Keith B.Taylor Global Scholar program, which enabled her to spend a year at The University of Northumbria in Newcastle upon Tyne in northeast England. There she focused on how the national health service works in the United Kingdom.

Samfee was one of 10 students in her graduating year to be selected for EMU’s top honor, the , awarded for “outstanding contributions to the university, community or society.” In addition to her academic achievements, she was a standout runner on EMU’s track and field team.

“EMU courses prepared me well for medical school,” she said in an email to . “I wrote my advisor [] thanking her after the first month of school.”

“There is a new expectation of excellence,” he said, “and while we are still growing and have lots of room to improve, the mindset is one that is focused on being competitive and keeping the momentum going.  Since so many of the cross country runners are also running track, it will be great to get the entire crew together and continue to pursue our goals.”

The track campaign starts with the indoor season opener this Saturday at the Liberty Kickoff in Lynchburg.  It gets going in earnest after the upcoming Christmas break.

Lewkowicz is excited to see his team continue to grow in number and talent.  The combined rosters totaled a mere 13 student-athletes the year before he took over the program.  This year there are 40 men and women on the teams.

“Our team size has more or less doubled from last year which is a plus,” said Lewkowicz.  “We have added a number of quality athletes that will help us be more competitive in the this year.  There is a lot of energy with this group and the buzz that was created during the cross country season has carried over to our track team.  We still lack depth is several critical areas but we will have a presence in most events which is exciting.”

Aside from all of the new faces on the roster this year, a big addition is the return of jumper Michael Allen (Fork Union, VA/Louisa County).  In three previous seasons, he won multiple ODAC crowns as well as trips to the national meet.  Allen is back for his senior campaign after missing last spring while studying off campus through EMU’s cross cultural program.

“It is great to have someone like Michael on our team for a number of reasons,” explained Lewkowicz.  “He brings natural leadership and has competed at a high level, so he knows what it takes.  He is admittedly rusty after taking a year off but he is working hard with Coach (Britton) Olinger and is beginning to regain his form.  The talent is there and the potential is immense, although everyone will have to be patient as he works his way back into top shape.”

As happened this fall with the cross country teams, an influx of new talent should challenge some school records and buoy the process of rebuilding the Eastern Mennonite track & field program.

“On the women’s side, we will be very strong in the middle distance events,” Lewkowicz said.  “We have four freshmen women who have run a faster 800m time in high school than our current school record, so that is exciting.”

The coach pointed to his top cross country runner, (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton), to lead that group, saying that she has potential to become an NCAA qualifier during her time at EMU.  Lewkowicz also singled out the leadership and athleticism of senior (Berryville, VA/Clarke County), who is switching from middle distance to sprints and jumps this year.  He also expects to see a few ODAC scorers from a strong crew of throwers.

“On the men’s side, it’s exciting to think about their potential to really make a jump in the ODAC rankings,” said Lewkowicz.

The Royals scored in the single digits in last year’s ODAC Championships.

Lewkowicz said that local product Richard Robinson (Broadway, VA/Broadway) could be one of the top freshmen hurdlers in the nation, with both he and Allen challenging for ODAC golds in their respective events.  Dan Nafziger (Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) and Carlos Orellana (Grottoes, VA/Spotswood), the anchors of the cross country team, will also strengthen the distance group on the track team.

Other women Lewkowicz mentioned as likely to make some noise include: (Harrisonburg, VA/Spotswood) in the 400m and 800m, thrower (Waynesboro, VA/Waynesboro), middle distance runner (St. Joseph, IL/St. Joseph-Odgen) and (Harrisonburg, VA/Broadway) in the steeplechase.  For the men, Lewkowicz also highlighted transfer Philip Watson (Philadelphia, PA/La Salle) and Jonathan Bush (Pottstown, PA/Owen J. Roberts), both in the 200m and 400m.

As they prepare for their first meet, team unity is proving to be a strength.

“It has been a short turnaround from the cross country season so we are working to bring the team together and get focused on our common goals of honoring God with our team while pursuing excellence in our endeavors,” Lewkowicz explained.  “I am blessed with a dedicated and talented coaching staff and we are all on the same page in what it takes to prepare our athletes to compete at a high level.  Our hope is that these fundamentals honed and the fitness gained over the fall will be maintained over the Christmas break so we can come out in January and continue to progress.”

While always brimming with optimism, Lewkowicz knows neither his men nor women have the depth to grab a team title at an ODAC meet this year.  But he thinks a top four or five finish would be an encouraging sign of progress, both to his athletes and to the general public.

“We have a number of athletes with the potential to be All-ODAC or ODAC champions, and there are a few who have ambitions of qualifying for the NCAA Championships,” the coach said.  “There are a number of school records that we expect to fall this year and we will be keeping track of them on our bulletin board outside of the athletics office.  We’re hoping for weekly updates to it!”

He also expects those records to be celebrated by the entire team, as well as for them to have higher goals that might not be seen on paper.

“While (breaking records) are individual goals, so to speak, they are accomplishments that would be appreciated and shared by the team as a whole,” said Lewkowicz.  “Our main non-quantitative goals are to be a team that holds itself to a high standard morally, and ethically, to maintain humility and integrity, and to seek to honor our great God in all that we do, win or lose.”

On Friday a trio of Royals ran in packed fields of the 5000m.  For the women, Alli Eanes (Harrisonburg, VA/Westmont Hilltop) and Lanae Kreider (Harrisonburg, VA/Broadway) took 19th and 20th, respectively, out of 39 D-I, D-II and D-III runners.  Eanes crossed in 19:46.72, with Kreider just a couple of steps behind in 19:53.70.

(Harrisonburg, VA/Harrisonburg) was one of 50 runners on the men’s side, taking 30th with a time of 16:10.33.

The rest of the EMU track team took part in Saturday’s smaller Jopson Invitational on a day mixed with sprinkles and sun.  Freshman (Boyce, VA/Clarke County) made a splash in his first outdoor meet, grabbing second in the shot put.  He was also the top school-affiliated participant with a heave of 13.82m (45-04.25ft) and firmly planted himself third on the EMU All-Time list.  (Ooltewah, TN/McCallie School) was 13th with a top put of 10.40m (34-01.50ft).

(Baltimore, MD/Paul Lawrence Dunbar) nearly won the hammer throw, taking second at 34.03m (111-08ft).  Roanoke’s Paul LaPradd won with 34.96m (114-08ft).

Morgan was seventh in the discus, landing at 33.50m (109-11ft).  Sloan took sixth in the javelin, with a best throw of 39.14m (128-05ft).

In the 1500m run, (Bluffton, OH/Bluffton) crossed in 4:30.87, less than a second behind 11th place.  (Dillsburg, PA/Homeschool) was fifth in the small field of the 5000m with a time of 18:44.02.

Junior Sophia Holmes (Berryville, VA/Clarke County) highlighted the day by taking third in the 800m run, crossing in 2:26.56 and also moving into third on the EMU All-Time list.  Malika Davis was 15th in 2:42.24 with Hannah Patterson (Puyallup, WA/Mountainview International) 16th in 2:44.95.

Naomi Good (Columbia, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) ran in the 400m and took third in 1:05.98.

In the field events, Jenni Beck (Archbold, OH/Archbold) finished in the middle of the pack in the shot put, taking seventh with a distance of 8.76m (28-09.00ft).  Alyssa Bane (Strasburg, VA/Strasburg) came in ninth in the discus at 27.18m (89-02ft).

Beck and Bethany Hench (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) also participated in the javelin.  Beck had a best throw of 19.05m (62-06ft) while Hench was just short of her with 18.77m (61-07ft).  Bane was fifth out of nine participants in the hammer throw at 31.40m (103-00ft), with Hench landing at 24.76m (81-03ft).

Next up for the Eastern Mennonite athletes is the Towson Invitational in Towson, MD, next Saturday.

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