Sports week in review: Margo Jonker named to MAC Hall of Fame, CMU remains FBS compliant
As sports begin to return slowly, Central Michigan has made news, as well.
A longtime coach was inducted to the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame and a waiver to keep the program at the top rung of football was approved, among other stories.
Here are four stories from the last week of sports at CMU:
Margo Jonker named to MAC Hall of Fame
Jonker was named to the MAC Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020.
In her 40-year career at CMU, Jonker became the winningest coach in both program and conference history by finishing with a 1,268-808-7 record. Her win total is ninth all-time in NCAA Division I.
Now, Jonker is a member of six halls of fame: National Fastpitch Coaches Association (inducted in 2003), Grand Valley State University (1990), Michigan Amateur Softball (2000), West Ottawa High School (2001), Metro Detroit Amateur Softball Association (2014) and Mid-American Conference (2020).
CMU's waiver approved, will remain FBS compliant through 2022
After cutting men's track and field, CMU fell below the minimum six men's sports to remain compliant for the Football Bowl Subdivision, NCAA's top level of football.
The school announced this week a waiver had been approved by the NCAA to keep CMU compliant to the FBS for the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.
CMU must add another men's sport by 2022 to remain FBS compliant.
Braeden Childress enters transfer portal
After not seeing any playing time in as a freshman in 2019, Childress — the brother of former wide receiver Brandon Childress — entered the transfer portal.
Childress, a defensive lineman from Big Rapids, was the third Chippewa in two weeks to enter the portal. Wide receiver Bailey Edwards and defensive lineman NeVen Simington have both entered their names in the transfer portal.
Special Olympics moves to virtual State Summer Games
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Special Olympics Michigan made a change to the format of its State Summer Games for the first time in its 52-year history.
In 2020, the games will take place virtually from July 19-25. The athletes will select three sports to compete in out of the nearly 20 sports available to play from home including volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, weightlifting and athletics among others.
To prepare for the games, athletes will participate in a six-week at-home health and wellness training program beginning on June 8 before the week-long Virtual Summer Games.
