Five Athletes Signed for EIU Women's Track Team

Eastern Illinois director of track and field Brenton Emanuel has announced the addition of five athletes that will join the Panthers women’s track team for next season.  Set to compete for EIU next year are Zakiya Johnson, Akiya Kollore, Madison Myrick, Trelyn Newkirk and Taylor Wright. 

Johnson runs at Chicago Kenwood HS and was a multi-event medalist as a junior at the IHSA Class 3A state meet.  Johnson ran the second leg on the 4x100 relay as the team placed third in the state with a time of 47.40.  The 4x100 relay team also placed third in the state during Johnson’s sophomore year with a finals time of 47.88.  She ran the second leg on the 4x200 meter relay team that finished eighth with a time of 1:44.90.  As an individual she was eighth at the state meet in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.35.   Johnson placed fourth in the 100 meter dash at the Chicago Kenwood Sectional with a time of 12.39 and was second at the sectional in the 200 meter dash with a time of 25.02. 

Kollore runs at Normandy HS in St. Louis, Mo.  As a junior she advanced to the Missouri Class 4A State Championships in the 200 meter dash, 4x100 meter relay and 4x200 meter relay.  Kollore placed fourth in the state in the 200 meter dash with a finals time of 25.19.  She ran the anchor leg on both the 4x100 and 4x200 relays that placed sixth at the state meet.  The 4x100 relay time was 50.01 while the 4x200 relay time was 1:44.98.  As a sophomore Kollore placed sixth in the state in the 100 meter dash with a finals time of 15.52.  She was a member of the 4x100 relay that placed eighth and the 4x200 relay team that placed sixth.   

Myrick competes at Homewood-Flossmoor HS and helped the team place second at the IHSA Class 3A state meet as a junior.  Myrick finished 12th in long jump with a mark of 17’10.75” in the finals.  At the Lockport Sectional she placed second in the long jump with a mark of 18’4”.  She was second in the sectional in the high jump with a height of 5’4”.  Myrick also advanced to the IHSA meet as a member of the 4x100 meter relay team.     

Newkirk runs at Homewood-Flossmoor HS and helped the team place second at the IHSA Class 3A state meet as a junior.  She was a member of the state champion 4x100 meter relay team that posted a time of 46.97 with Newkirk running the third leg.  She was on the 4x200 meter team that was the state runner-up with a time of 1:40.51.   Newkirk also qualified for the state meet in the 200 meter dash after placing third in the Lockport Sectional with a time of 25.84.  As a sophomore she was part of the 4x200 meter relay team that placed third in the state with a time of 1:41.55 while qualifying in the 200 meter dash.    

Wright runs at Lincoln-Way East HS and qualified for the IHSA Class 3A state meet in four events a junior.  She placed ninth in the state in the 400 meter dash with a finals time of 58.25.  Wright then ran the anchor leg on the 4x400 meter relay team that placed seventh in the state with a finals time of 3:56.46.  She qualified for the state meet in the long jump and the 4x800 meter relay.  She was fourth at the Lockport Sectional in the long jump with a mark of 17’10”.  She tied for first in the 400 meter dash at the sectional with a time of 58.23.  As a sophomore she was a state champion running the anchor leg on the 4x400 meter relay team that placed first with a finals time of 3:51.62.