Eastern Michigan Eagles

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Eastern Michigan Eagles
University Eastern Michigan University
Conference Mid-American Conference
NCAA Division I
Athletics director Derrick Gragg
Location Ypsilanti, MI
Varsity teams 21
Football stadium Rynearson Stadium
Basketball arena Convocation Center
Mascot Swoop
Nickname Eagles
Fight song Eagles Fight Song
Colors green and white

             

Homepage EMU Eagles

The Eastern Michigan Eagles, formerly known as the Eastern Michigan Hurons, have won three NCAA Division II national championships and 13 NAIA Division I national championships in five different sports (baseball, men's cross country, men's swimming and diving, men's indoor track and field, and men's outdoor track and field); moreover, EMU has been NCAA Division I national runner-up twice. In 1940, the men's cross country team finished second to Indiana University at the national meet hosted by Michigan State University.

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[edit] Baseball

On June 19, 1976, after finishing in sixth place the year before, the baseball team was defeated by the University of Arizona in the final game of the College World Series at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Nebraska. Under the leadership of Coach Ron Oestrike, the Hurons defeated Maine, Clemson, and Arizona State (with its 13 future Major Leaguers) before losing its last two games to Arizona. EMU was led by stars Bob Owchinko, Bob Welch, Dan Schmitz, Bob Petroff, Glenn Gulliver, and John Martin.

[edit] Basketball

Eastern's men's basketball team has appeared in four NCAA Division I tournaments, and have a 3-4 record, tied for third best among Michigan colleges. They reached the Sweet Sixteen in the 1991 tournament (their first ever appearance) and defeated Duke University in the first round of the 1996 tournament.

[edit] Swimming and Diving

The Eagles hold the record for the most MAC Championships in a single sport, 25, for Men's Swimming and Diving, which they won in 1979, 1981-1996, 1998, and 2000-2005.

[edit] Football

The football team plays one home game a year at Ford Field in downtown Detroit annually since 2004 in the "Collegiate Clash". They have hosted Central Michigan University (2004), Western Michigan University (2005), the United States Naval Academy (2006), and Northwestern University (2007). Since winning the first Ford Field game over CMU in triple overtime 61-58, they have lost three in a row. Traditionally, the program has problems attracting fans to their football games each season. NCAA rules state that in order to stay in Division I-A for football, each team must attract an average of 15,000 fans per game. During a 1-11 season, Eastern's EMU Foundation purchased 5,000 tickets for local high school students to curb this threat to their status. The annual game at Ford Field also boosts their average attendance.

The greatest football victory in EMU history occurred in December of 1987. The MAC Champion Hurons defeated 17 1/2 point favorite San Jose State in the California Bowl. The victory culminated a 10-2 season and improbable rise from the depths of Division I-A college football. Only two years previous the team was in serious jeopardy of losing Division 1-A status. Head Coach Jim Harkema was instrumental in resurrecting the program. The two losses in 1987 were both on the road, and were by a total of 11 points.

The 1988 and 1989 teams each finished in second place in the conference and ended the most successful stretch of football in school history with its fourth straight winning season. EMU has achieved only one winning season ('95) since.

[edit] Athletic facts

  • Conference: Mid-American (MAC)
  • Nickname: Eagles (were known as the Hurons from 1929 - 1991)
  • Colors: Green and White
  • Affiliation: NCAA Division I (previously NAIA and NCAA Division II)
  • Number of sports at EMU: 21

National Championships (16)

  • 1972: Men's Swimming and Diving - NCAA Division II
  • 1972: Men's Outdoor Track and Field - NCAA Division II
  • 1971: Men's Swimming and Diving - NAIA
  • 1971: Men's Indoor Track and Field - NAIA
  • 1971: Men's Outdoor Track and Field - NAIA
  • 1970: Baseball - NAIA
  • 1970: Men's Cross Country - NCAA Division II
  • 1970: Men's Cross Country - NAIA
  • 1970: Men's Swimming and Diving - NAIA
  • 1970: Men's Indoor Track and Field - NAIA
  • 1970: Men's Outdoor Track and Field - NAIA
  • 1969: Men's Swimming and Diving - NAIA
  • 1969: Men's Indoor Track and Field - NAIA
  • 1968: Men's Swimming and Diving - NAIA
  • 1967: Men's Cross Country - NAIA
  • 1966: Men's Cross Country - NAIA

National Runners-up (6)

  • 1976: Baseball - NCAA Division I
  • 1971: Men's Basketball - NAIA Division I
  • 1969: Men's Cross Country - NCAA Division II
  • 1969: Men's Cross Country - NAIA
  • 1965: Men's Cross Country - NCAA Division II
  • 1940: Men's Cross Country - NCAA

Club Team National Runners-up (2)

  • 2000: Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division I
  • 1994: Men's Ice Hockey - ACHA Division I

Recent MAC championships

  • 2007: Men's Cross Country
  • 2007: Woman's Softball
  • 2007: Men's Outdoor Track and Field
  • 2007: Men's Golf
  • 2007: Women's Gymnastics
  • 2007: Men's Indoor Track and Field
  • 2007: Men's Swimming and Diving
  • 2007: Women's Swimming and Diving
  • 2006: Men's Cross Country
  • 2006: Women's Swimming and Diving
  • 2005: Men's Cross Country
  • 2000–2005: Men's swimming and diving
  • 2004: Women's Basketball
  • 2003: Men's baseball
  • 2003: Women's soccer
  • 2003: Women's outdoor track
  • 1995–2003: Men's track
  • 2001: Women's tennis
  • 2000: Women's indoor track

NCAA bowl games

NCAA individual champions

Men's Cross Country:

  • 2001 Boaz Cheboiywo

Men's Track and Field:

  • 2004 Jordan Desilets, 3000-meter steeplechase
  • 2002 Boaz Cheboiywo, 10,000 meters outdoor track
  • 1999 Clement Chukwu, 400 meters
  • 1985 Earl Jones, 800 meters
  • 1975 Halsey Crawford, 100 yards
  • 1959 Hayes Jones, 120- & 220-yard hurdles
  • 1932 Eugene Beatty, 400-meter hurdles

Women's Track and Field:

Olympians

  • 2004 Athens Games: USA- Jamie Nieto (High Jump, 4th)
  • 2000 Sydney Games: Nigeria- Nduka Awazie (4x400 meter relay, Silver), Nigeria - Clement Chukwu (200 & 400 meters)
  • 1996 Atlanta Games: USA- Paul McMullen (1500 meters, 9th), Suriname - Tommy Asinga (800 meters), British West Indies - Greg Rhymer (1500 meters), Nigeria - Clement Chukwu (200 & 400 meters), Bahamas - Sevetheda Fynes (100 & 200 meters, 400M Relay)
  • 1992 Barcelona Games: Suriname - Tommy Asinga (800 meters)
  • 1988 Seoul Games: Suriname - Tommy Asinga (800 meters)
  • 1984 Los Angeles Games: USA- Earl Jones (800 meters, Bronze), Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters)
  • 1980 Moscow Games: Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters)
  • 1976 Montreal Games: Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters, Gold, 200 meters)
  • 1972 Munich Games: Trinidad and Tobago- Hasely Crawford (100 meters)
  • 1968 Mexico City Games: Canada - Dave Ellis (10,000 meters)
  • 1964 Tokyo Games: USA- Hayes Jones (110 High Hurdles, Gold), USA - Dean Rockwell, Manager of the Greco Roman Wrestling Squad
  • 1960 Rome Games: USA- Hayes Jones (110 High Hurdles, Bronze)
  • 1948 London Games: USA - George Marshall, Manager, Men's Track and Field
  • 1932 Los Angeles Games: USA - Lloyd Olds, Assistant Coach, Track and Field
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