Central Michigan Athletes Shine at MAC Championships

Guikema sets program record, Yoshino earns pole vault silver on opening day

Published on Feb. 28, 2026

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Central Michigan Track & Field had a strong showing on the first day of the Mid-American Conference Championships, with several athletes qualifying for Saturday's finals. Maya Guikema set a new program record in the 800m, while Emily Yoshino earned a silver medal in the pole vault. Other Chippewas, including Linnearia Richards and Danica Shamion, also advanced to finals in their events.

Why it matters

The MAC Championships are a key competition for Central Michigan's track and field team, as they look to build momentum heading into the outdoor season. Strong performances on the opening day demonstrate the team's depth and potential to compete for a conference title.

The details

In the pole vault, all three Central Michigan competitors earned a spot on the podium, led by Emily Yoshino's silver medal. Yoshino cleared 3.85m on her first attempt, a career best. Riley Nielsen took fourth overall, clearing 3.75m, while Jane Paddock finished eighth with a career-best 3.75m. Maya Guikema set a new program record in the 800m, finishing second in the prelims with a time of 2:09.97, besting her previous best of 2:10.86. Linnearia Richards qualified for the 60m hurdles and long jump finals, setting a new personal best of 8.57 seconds in the hurdles. Danica Shamion also advanced to the 400m finals with an eighth-place finish in the prelims.

  • The Mid-American Conference Championships are being held on February 27-28, 2026 in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

The players

Maya Guikema

A Central Michigan track and field athlete who set a new program record in the 800m event.

Emily Yoshino

A Central Michigan pole vaulter who earned a silver medal at the MAC Championships.

Linnearia Richards

A Central Michigan track and field athlete who qualified for the finals in the 60m hurdles and long jump.

Danica Shamion

A Central Michigan track and field athlete who qualified for the 400m finals.

Jenny Swieton

The Central Michigan Director of Track & Field.

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What they’re saying

“We had a great day today. The pole vaulters really stepped up. Most of the team competing today placed higher than they came in ranked, and Maya's (Guikema) school record was the icing on the cake. Linnearia qualified for both the 60m hurdles finals and the long jump finals, that's awesome.”

— Jenny Swieton, Central Michigan Director of Track & Field (cmuchippewas.com)

“Being here in Mount Pleasant is great, having the fans were amazing and it helped us out a lot.”

— Jenny Swieton, Central Michigan Director of Track & Field (cmuchippewas.com)

What’s next

The MAC Championships will conclude on Saturday, February 28, 2026 with field events starting at 10:00 a.m. Ten Chippewas will compete in the finals across various events.

The takeaway

Central Michigan's track and field team showcased its depth and talent on the opening day of the MAC Championships, with several athletes setting personal bests and advancing to finals. The team's strong performance sets them up well to compete for a conference title on the final day of competition.