EMU women’s basketball finishes with four on the Academic All-MAC team
Eagle excellence on the court and in the classroom.
The Eastern Michigan University women’s basketball team saw four members named to the 2023-24 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Academic All-MAC teams as the league office announced on April 11.
The Academic All-MAC selection is to honor student-athletes who have excelled both academically and athletically. To qualify, student-athletes must hold a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50% of the contests of the sport.
Senior Kyndal Lewis (Belton, Mo.), junior Tayra Eke (Madrid, Spain), sophomore Dara Capaldi (East Detroit, Mich.), and senior Ashley Hassett (Hershey, Neb.) made the list of 53 student-athletes from the MAC who were honored.
It marks Lewis’ second consecutive selection as she was named to the list last season. Capaldi, Eke, and Hassett all earned their first selections of their career.
Eke led the Eagles this season in points, field goals made, and blocked shots. She also sits first in the MAC in blocked shots and blocks per game.
Three Eagles from Track and Field receive MAC Athlete of the Week honors
The Eastern Michigan University track and field team saw three members collect MAC athlete of the week honors after performances at the Jim Click Invitational hosted by the University of Arizona, the league announced on Wednesday, April 10.
Senior Ronnie Brandal (Huron, Ohio) was named MAC Men’s Athlete of the Week, freshman Anita Zaro (Timisoara, Romania) earned MAC Women’s Athlete of the Week, while Miranda Cadwell (Plainfield, Ill.) took MAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week.
It is the first time Brandal, Zito, and Cadwell have earned the accolades in their careers while marking the first time EMU had athletes earn awards so far this outdoor season.
Brandal took home the award after his second-place finish in the 800m run with a time of 1:48.47, earning his personal best while ranking first in the MAC and 31st in the nation.
Zaro also clocked a personal best to take the women’s award as she ran a 10:43.38 in the 3,000m steeplechase as she placed third and on the EMU program’s top-10 at No. 6.
Earning a second school record of the season, Cadwell marked a hammer throw distance of 62.01m as she finished third. That throw ranks the farthest in the MAC and 28th in the nation.
EMU men’s basketball’s Yusuf Jihad earns Third Academic All-MAC honor
THREE-PEAT!
EMU men’s basketball’s Yusuf Jihad (Farmington Hills, Mich.) was named to his third Academic All-Mid-American Conference list in his career, the league announced April 10.
To qualify, the same rules apply as they must hold a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50% of the contests of the sport.
Jihad is now the first player in program history to be named to the list three times. He is now also one of four Eagles to earn multiple academic accolades as he joins Dan Hoff, Walt Jones, and Trent Perry.
The Farmington Hills native played all 31 games for the Eagles this season as he made 12 starts. Jihad finished the season averaging 6.7 points per game while posting a team-leading 38.0% from three-point range.
