The University of Akron Athletics
Women First, Men Fifth After Day One of MAC Outdoor Track
May 11 | Track & Field
May 11, 2006
Results
TOLEDO, Ohio - The University of Akron women's team sits in first-place, while the Zips men are fifth after day one of the 2006 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which are being held at the UT Track on the campus of the University of Toledo.
The Zips women tallied 36 points to lead Kent State (32.50) and Ohio (19) in the 12-team field. Akron is looking to become the first MAC women's program to win the cross country, indoor track and outdoor track crowns in the same academic year.
On the men's side, UA posted 12 points and trails Kent State (36), Miami (28), Central Michigan (19) and Eastern Michigan (17) in the seven-team field.
The UA women are off to a fast start after collecting two victories in the four events completed today. Freshman Stevi Large (Somerset, Ohio/Sheridan) and senior Jenna Strouse (Mt. Vernon, Ohio/Mt. Vernon) finished 1-2 in the hammer throw for 18 team points. Large had a toss of 180-07 and Strouse went 177-08. Both were NCAA Mideast Regional qualifying marks, but off their personal bests. It was the first MAC title for Large.
Senior All-American Ashley Kaufman (Freedom, Pa./Freedom Area HS) also picked up her first MAC title, with a toss of 176-10 in the javelin. She bettered the competition by over 10 feet and was just few inches off her own school record (177-02).
The Zips women also tallied eight points in the pole vault with
a third-place finish from Jennifer Peck (Maumee, Ohio/Springfield
/Bowling Green) and a seventh-place showing from Jessica Miller
(Wooster, Ohio/Wooster). Peck matched her career best for the sixth
time this season (12-05.50) and Miller went 11-05.75.
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Senior Dan Digman (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth HS), sophomore Auston Papay (Sharon, Pa./Sharon HS) and junior Randall Hafner (Willard, Ohio/Willard HS) put the UA men in the scoring column. Digman set a new personal-best in the javelin for the second-straight week. His toss of 185-05 put him in fourth place, while Papay's heave of 180-00 placed him sixth in that event. Hafner finished seventh in the hammer throw, one of just three men's events completed today, with a toss of 177-09.
The championships continue tomorrow with the conclusion of the multi-events beginning at 10:00 a.m. (EDT). Running events get underway at noon and field events at 12:30 p.m. The three-day meet concludes Saturday.
Men's Scores: 1) Kent State, 36; 2) Miami, 28; 3) Central Michigan, 19; 4) Eastern Michigan, 17; 5) Akron, 12; 6) Ohio, 3; 7) Buffalo, 2.
Women's Scores: 1) Akron, 36; 2) Kent State, 32.50; 3) Ohio, 19; 4) Buffalo, 12; 5) Bowling Green, 11; 6) Miami, 10; 6) Ball State, 10; 8) Western Michigan, 7.50; 9) Northern Illinois, 7; 10) Eastern Michigan, 5; 11) Toledo, 4; 12) Central Michigan, 2.
