Staley, Manners Place 3rd At Akron

Sunday, May 16

Akron, Ohio

TBA

Central Michigan University

Akron Field Events Qualifier

Photo by: Kari Korytkowski

5/16/2021 7:13:00 PM | Track & Field

Chippewas look to NCAA East Regional Championships

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

AKRON, Ohio – Central Michigan's Kasey Staley and Hayley Manners placed third in the pole vault and the long jump, respectively, on Sunday at the Akron Field Events Qualifier at the University of Akron's Lee Jackson Track & Field Complex.

Staley's best vault measured at 3.87 meters, while Manners' top long jump measured at 5.83 meters.

Staley is one of four Chippewas who likely have qualified for the NCAA East Regional Championships at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville beginning on May 26. The other Chippewas are Erin Howard, shot put and discus; and Quiara Wheeler and Maya Bennett, hammer throw.

CMU's Marissa Dunn is on the bubble but should get an invite, CMU Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Jenny Swieton said.

"This is the hardest it's ever been to make first round because we have all the COVID seniors," she said. "The field is really deep. We have people that are definitely in and we have young student-athletes that are taking shots at it and are kind of close to that position of getting in."

If Dunn makes the field, it will give CMU five student-athletes at the regional; that's a good number, relatively speaking, Swieton said.

"In 2019 when we won the MAC (indoor) championship and were second outdoor, I believe we had seven women go to regionals (outdoor)," she said. "To be as close to that number of qualifiers I think we're definitely showing that we have the firepower and we have some young student-athletes kicking down the door and ready to make something happen. I think it bodes very well for the future of the program."

Among those who are close but unlikely to qualify are Manners along with 10,000-meter runners Emily Paupore and Lauren Beckmann. Manners and Paupore are freshmen, while Beckmann is a sophomore.

"It looks like it's going to be the hardest it's ever been to make (the regional) in the 10K, so it's really awesome that in their first attempt at the 10K, they're so close to getting in," Swieton said, adding that Manners had an outstanding season, scoring in the long jump at both the MAC indoor and outdoor championships and in the triple jump at the outdoor. "That was pretty phenomenal considering that she had never really triple jumped before this year. It was one heck of a year for her."