Full Team Release

Full Individual Release

NEW ORLEANS, La. (EMUEagles.com) — The U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) announced the release of the Division I Track and Field All-Academic teams and All-Academic individual awards Tuesday, July 22.  Eastern Michigan University's women's track and field team earned a spot on the team list, while four Eagles garnered individual accolades, including:  Ellie Braidic, Aaliyah McKinney, Victoria Voronko, and Kate Wolanin.

The All-Academic team award is given to any eligible program that has at least a 3.00 cumulative grade point average at the season's indoor and/or outdoor NCAA Division I Championships.  The Eagles are one-of-208 women's programs to accomplish the feat, maintaining a 3.46 GPA throughout the 2013-14 academic year.  The University of Texas was honored as the Scholar Team of the Year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, based on their national ranking along with grade point average.  

Individually, the USTFCCA puts out a more stringent standard for being named to the All-Academic Track and Field Team.  Each athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 and must either rank in the national top-96 individually or top-48 on a relay team in the indoor season, or must have participated in any round of the NCAA Division I Championships, including preliminary rounds.  Four athletes made the cut for the Green and White, three of whom were previously named to the Academic Mid-American Conference team in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.  

Braidic holds a 3.33 GPA in nursing and took fourth in the pole vault at both the MAC Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships.  Her indoor campaign ended with a breakthrough performance, vaulting 4.10 meters/13 feet 5.25-inches.  She went on to excel in the outdoor season, earning a spot at the NCAA East Regional, May 30, where she cleared a height of 3.90 meters/12 feet 9.50-inches.  Her personal record outdoors came with a win at the Jesse Owens Classic, April 9, when she jumped 4.00 meters/13 feet 1.50-inches.  Braidic was named to the Academic All-MAC honorable mention list in both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

McKinney had a fantastic showing at the 2014 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 15-17, when she was crowned MAC champion in both the 100m and 200m, earning First Team All-MAC honors.  The sophomore set personal records in both events, crossing the line in 11.79 seconds in the 100m and 23.71 seconds in the 200m.  She also was a member of the third-place 4x100m relay team and the seventh-place 4x400m relay team.  McKinney ended her season at the NCAA East Regional, May 30, after finishing the 200m in 24.25 seconds.  Indoors, McKinney was named to the All-MAC Second Team after finishing runner-up in the 60m dash and taking fifth in the 200m. She holds a 3.37 GPA in communications and was named to the Academic All-MAC team in both season.

The most decorated Eagle of the 2013-14 season, Voronko was named to the All-American Second Team, All-MAC First Team, and was honored as the co-Most Valuable Performer at the 2014 MAC Outdoor Championships.  She was also rewarded for her weekly accomplishments, earning MAC Track Athlete of the Week honors on April 29  following her then-record-breaking performance and victory in the 3000m steeplechase at the Drake Relays, April 26.  She was also named the MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week on May 7 after setting a personal record of 4:20.87 en route to a victory in the 1500m at the Billy Hayes Invitational, May 3.  At the 2014 MAC Championships, Voronko won the 1500m and the 3000m steeplechase while taking second in the 5000m.  She broke her own record in the 3000m steeplechase on three occasions, most recently at the NCAA East Regional in 10:04.89.  After qualifying for the NCAA Championships, Voronko finished 15th to garner Second Team All-American honors.  Indoors, Voronko broke three individual records, including the 25-year-old mile record which was shattered in 4:39.84 on Feb. 8.  She also holds the EMU standard in the 3000m (9:13.24) and the 5000m (16:32.44) and was a member of the EMU and MAC meet record-breaking distance medley relay team that claimed victory at the MAC Indoor Championships.  She picked up another MAC MVP award for winning the 3000m and 5000m with a runner-up finish in the mile at the conference meet, and was named the MAC Track Athlete of the Week for three consecutive weeks (Jan. 14, Jan. 21, and Jan. 28).  For her efforts, Voronko was named to the Academic All-MAC team in both seasons while boasting a 3.77 GPA in physical education.

Wolanin had a breakthrough year in the high jump for the Green and White, earning Second Team All-American and Second Team All-MAC honors in the process.  The senior set a personal record at the 2014 MAC Outdoor Championships, clearing 1.82 meters/5 feet 11.50-inches for runner-up, a mark that goes down as the second-highest jump in EMU history.  With her jump, Wolanin easily qualified for the NCAA Regional, where she took eighth at 1.77 meters/5 feet 9.75-inches to punch her ticket to the NCAA Championships, June 11-14.  Wolanin replicated her mark from the regional meet to tie for 12th in the nation.  In addition to an outstanding high jump campaign, Wolanin also competed in the heptathlon, taking seventh at the MAC Championships with a personal record of 4,951 points with career marks in the long jump, javelin throw, 100m hurdles, and 800m.  During the indoor season, Wolanin claimed Second Team All-MAC honors after another runner-up finish in the high jump and took sixth in the pentathlon.  She was honored as an Academic All-MAC selection in both seasons and holds a 3.61 GPA in elementary education.