Indoor Track Eager to Compete

With established returning talent and 17 newcomers, the EMU indoor track team is ready for another season of success and competition.

"We have a talented and strong team coming into the season. With a thrower and runner that have been to nationals, they keep the intensity high during practice," said first-year thrower Alyssa Boruki.

This year's team consists of eighteen women, eleven of whom are first year participants, and sixteen men, six of whom are first year participants. Coach Seth McGuffin commented, "The team has been putting in hard work since the beginning of the school year. With a strong conference, both teams are looking to improve on last year's performance."

Last year the men's team finished second at the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championships while the women finished fourth. Over the last five years the men's team has finished second three times; the other two years they finished third. Also, over the last three years, the EMU women's team has won 19 individual awards at the ODAC Championship and three NCAA All-American awards. The men's team has acquired 11 individual awards at the championship.

McGuffin remarked on team chemistry. "Great cohesiveness! The fellowship experienced throughout the season is such a rewarding one. Track is not considered a team sport because you do things individually, but when you see my team there is cheering, motivating and helping that goes on at each meet. There is nothing greater than to see the te succeed together at a meet or the conference championships."

Seth McGuffin has been head coach of the indoor and outdoor track teams for three seasons. He graduated from Lynchburg College with a degree in Business Management. Since he has become head coach at EMU, McGuffin has built the program from 12 participants to 50. McGuffin has coached 33 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Champions among 50 All-ODAC recipients. He has also produced 18 NCAA qualifiers and two NCAA All-Americans who have rewriten 27 school records.

The indoor team's first meet is at Dickinson College on Friday December 8th at 6 pm. "We are very excited to start the season off at Dickinson College next weekend! I'm very excited the team, is great and we are excited to see how our hard work measures against our competitors," said Boruki.