Already a multi-time All-American, there's no doubt Shura Ermakov is one of the best hurdlers in the nation for the Hillsdale College women's track and field team.
This past weekend, out in California, however, Ermakov put her name at the top of the list for 2024, and in doing so has earned G-MAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week honors for the second time this season and fifth in her career, the conference office announced on Monday.
At the Pacific Coast Invitational in Long Beach on Thursday afternoon, Ermakov put together a scintillating race in the 400m hurdles, taking fifth in a race that included elite DI athletes and 2024 Olympic hopefuls with a time of 59.10. That mark was less than two-tenths of a second off of her own school record set last year, and also the fastest time in the nation in the event so far in 2024, putting her at the top of the leaderboard. Over the same weekend, Ermakov also ran a personal best and provisional qualifying mark in the 100m hurdles of 14.19, ranking 30th in NCAA DII, and was part of a Hillsdale 4x400m relay team that ranks 21st nationally with a time of 3:46.15.
The 400m hurdles run sets Ermakov up well for a return trip to the NCAA DII Outdoor Championships, where she took fifth in the nation in the 400m hurdles and earned All-American honors last year. Ermakov built off that momentum in the 2023-24 indoor track and field campaign, reaching the NCAA DII Indoor Championship Meet in the 400m dash and took seventh for another All-American nod. Coupled with three All-American honors in the 4x400m relay over the course of her career for the Chargers, and Ermakov is well on the way to leaving an impressive legacy at Hillsdale.
The Chargers and Ermakov will race in the first home meet at Hillsdale College's new outdoor track and field facility at Hayden Park on Saturday for their next invitational, beginning at noon.
Photo by David Beach