SALEM, Va. – EMU Track & Field's 2025-26 indoor slate continued this weekend with a two-day meet at the Finn Pincus Invitational, hosted by Roanoke College in Salem, Va. The meet gave the Royals a chance to compete against much of their ODAC competition, including athletes from Hollins, Lynchburg, Randolph, Roanoke, and Sweet Briar.
The men's team made another strong statement in what has been a highly successful indoor season so far. Two school records fell on Saturday as
Ahsan Abul-Qasim broke the indoor long jump record with a leap of 7.06m (23'2"), while
Koran Rucker set the new EMU standard in the weight throw with a mark of 16.40m (53'9.75").
Highlights
- SPRINTS
- 60m Dash: Da'Shawn Winters and Ethan Lloyd made the semifinals, finishing ninth and 10th with times of 7.20 and 7.21, respectively.
- 200m Dash: Lloyd led the Royals in this event, clocking in at 23.87.
- 600m Dash: Nick Arnold won the 600m in a time of 1:23.58, holding off Parker Marshall of Lynchburg. This is Arnold's second win of the season as he was part of the victorious 4x400m relay at the SU Holiday Kickoff in December.
- 60m Hurdles: Filipo Toelau made the podium with a third-place finish, breaking the tape in a time of 8.36 in the final.
- DISTANCE
- 800m Run: Logan Boyd completed four laps of the track in 2:21.53, placing 13th.
- Mile Run: Ben Huyrad was the top Royal in the mile, crossing the finish line in 4:56.80.
- 3000m Run: Huyard also was the first EMU finished in the 3k, finishing 11th in 10:08.81, followed closely by Ethan Kanagy in 12th in 10:16.25.
- JUMPS
- Long Jump: Abul-Qasim took over the long jump school record from EMU Hall of Honor member Michael Allen, who held the previous high mark of 7.00m (22'11.75") set back in 2009.
- High Jump: Abul-Qasim cleared the bar at 1.96m (6'5"), high enough to be declared co-winner of the event with Aidan Hipp of Lynchburg.
- THROWS
- Weight Throw: Rucker broke the former weight throw record of 15.77m (51'9"), set back in 2007 by Nathan Turner. Rucker finished second overall in the meet and was the top DIII athlete.
- Shot Put: Rucker also took the runner-up spot in the shot put, heaving a mark of 14.96m (49'1").
What's Next
EMU Track & Field will split up between two meets next weekend. Some athletes will stay local by competing at the Shane Stevens Winter Invitational in Penn Laird, Va., on Saturday, Jan. 24. A second group will travel out-of-state for the JDL Fast Track Banked is Better Invitational on Sunday, Jan. 25.
