The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Kent Dual
Track Splits Dual Meet With Kent State, Barber Breaks Facility Record
January 18 | Track & Field
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's track and field team won 10 of 14 events and freshman Shawn Barber set the facility pole vault record as the Zips split their dual meet with local rival Kent State Friday night at Stile Athletics Field House.
After setting the school's indoor record a week ago, Barber won the pole vault competition with a jump of 18-02.75, which broke John Russell's six-year facility record of 18-01.00. Barber, who is just the second athlete in school history to clear the 18-foot barrier, then made three attempts at the World Junior record of 18-08.50 but didn't clear it.
Barber's record-setting jump was one of a number of strong individual performances that fueled the men to an 80-71 victory over the Golden Flashes Friday. Conversely, the Zips women suffered an 89-62 defeat to KSU despite a huge winning mark by Alexis Cooks in the weight throw and personal-best by Alexandra Wood in the pole vault.
Joe Wesley made it a clean sweep for the Zips in the men's pole vault with a personal-record jump of 17-03.00, which was two inches better than his previous career high. It was also one of two 1-2 finishes on the night for the men's team as Daryl Baptiste (23-10.00) and Nate Chronister (22-11.00) picked up eight points for Akron in the long jump.
Earlier in the evening, Bryce Cheek, who spent the last two seasons on the Zips football team, made an impressive track debut with a winning time of 6.92 in the 60 meters and Martel Durant established a new personal high with a winning mark of 6-11.50 in the high jump. Not to be outdone, Gabriel Genovesi just missed UA's all-time top five list in the 800 meters with a top time of 1:50. 87.
Other winners on the men's side included Nick Banke (57-03.75) in the shot put, Tyshaun Peoples (8.11) in the 60-meter hurdles, Kyle Cochrun (8:30.81) in the 3,000 meters and John Dahlstrand (47-09.00) in the triple jump. The Zips 4x400 relay team of Julius Ruby Jr., Nick Owens, J'Lani Pryce and Genovesi won a close race, clocking a time of 3:16.06 – or 51 hundredths of a second faster than KSU's foursome.
Cooks and Wood stole the spotlight on the women's side, each leading the charge on a 1-2 Akron sweep in their respective events.
Cooks, who is proving to be a quick study in the weight throw, launched a toss of 67-09.00 to beat out teammate Brittany Funk (66-09.25) and smash her previous high of 60-06.75 established last weekend. The talented sophomore was also the Zips' top finisher – placing third – in the shot put with a throw of 48-02.00
Wood cleared 13-00.25 in the pole vault to smash her previous career-best mark of 12-05.50, originally set in 2010, and finish ahead of teammate Claire Lucas, who jumped the same height in two more attempts.
It was also a strong evening for the women's distance runners who finished 1-2 in the 3,000-meters and won the 800-meters.
Jillian Roth cruised to an easy win in the 3K while shaving more than 10 seconds off her previous best with a time of 10:21.70 and teammate Lea Suess crossed the line next at the 10:26.31 mark. Rounding out the list of women's winners for UA was Morgan Willis, who came in first in the mile with a personal-best time of 5:03.52.
The Zips men's and women's teams will next head to the Penn State National next weekend. The two-day competition will get underway Friday in University Park, Pa.
RESULTS – KENT DUAL
Jan. 18, 2013 | The University of Akron | Stile Athletics Field House | Akron, Ohio
MEN'S TEAM SCORES (points)
1. Akron (80), 2. Kent State (71).
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL SCORING (points)
60m: 1. Bryce Cheek, 6.92 (5), 3. Vince Turnage, 7.05 (2), 4. Julius Ruby Jr., 7.06, 6. Kyle Walker, 7.41, 7. Bryan Dowdell, 7.90; 200m: 3. Julius Ruby Jr., 22.58 (2), 4. Tyshaun Peoples, 22.62 (1), 5. Nick Owens, 22.86, 6. Zavier Brewer, 23.20, 7. Kyle Walker, 23.73, 8. Elijah Beach, 23.89; 400m: 2. Nick Owens, 49.27 (3), 5. J'Lani Pryce, 50.26 (1), 6. Mitch Gordon, 50.28, 7. Sean Weems, 50.48, 8. Zavier Brewer, 50.66; 800m: 1. Gabriel Genovesi, 1:50.87 (5), 4. Jake Hiltner, 1:54.57 (1); Mile: 3. Heath Harris, 4:20.86 (2), 4. Marcus Mazzaferri, 4:25.92 (1), 5. Nick Stroemple, 27.22, 6. J.T. Olson, 4:28.00; 3,000m: 1. Kyle Cochrun, 8:30.81 (5), 4. Trevor Norris, 8:47.36; 5. Gus Dudek, 8:44.61, 6. Aaron Howkins, 8:47.32, 7. Dylan Papp, 8:50.33, 10. Martin Zegarelli, 9:10.02; 60m Hurdles: 1. Tyshaun Peoples, 8.11 (5), 5. Alex McCune 8.37 (1), 7. Quentin Cieslinski, 8.50, 8. Kyle Walker, 8.52, 9. Bjorn Johansson, 8.64, 10. Elijah Beach, 8.74, 11. Bryan Jones, 8.92; 4x400m Relay: 1. Akron A (Ruby, Owens, Pryce, Genovesi), 3:16.06 (5), 3. Akron B (Pryce, Hiltner, Mazzaferri, Brewer), 3:22.79); High Jump: 1. Martel Durant, 6-11.50 (5), 5. John Dahlstrand, 6-05.50 (1), 7. Quentin Cieslinski, 6-03.50, 8. Jakob Leon, 6-01.50; Pole Vault: 1. Shawn Barber, 18-02.75 (5), 2. Joe Wesley, 17-03.00 (3), 3. Shawn Light, 16-03.25, 4. Bjorn Johansson, 16-03.25, 7. Alex McCune, 14-09.50; Long Jump: 1. Daryl Baptiste, 23-10.00 (5), 2. Nate Chronister, 22-11.00 (3), 3. De'Vion Tate, 22-09.00, 4. Joe Oduho, 22-06.50, 5. Bryan Jones, 22-06.50; Triple Jump: 1. John Dahlstrand, 47-09.00 (5), 3. DeMetrius Hazly-Ward, 47-01.00 (2), 4. De'Vion Tate, 46-11.50; Shot Put: 1. Nick Banke, 57-03.75 (5), 4. Casey Slane, 49-07.25 (1), 6. Bobby Mitman, 48-06.25; Weight Throw: 2. Nick Banke, 60-00.25 (3), 3. Jordan Paul, 55-00.25 (2), 4. Zach Shull, 53-11.75, 5. Casey Slane, 53-06.50.
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES (points)
1. Kent State (89), 2. Akron (62).
WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL SCORING (points)
60m: 3. Noelle Bradley, 7.89 (2), 4. Rachel Christian, 7.94 (1), 5. Alex Allen, 8.17, 6. Courtney Weldon, 8.18; 200m: 5. Courtney Weldon, 26.89 (2), 6. Alex Allen, 27.00 (1), 7. Mycah Mason, 27.38, 8. Amirah Harbour, 27.66; 400m: 5. Mycah Mason, 1:00.35 (2), 7. JaQuana Threats, 1:01.64 (1), 8. Amirah Harbour, 1:03.52; 800m: 3. Kayla Whitlow, 2:18.05, 4. Maria Moore, 2:18.55 (1), 5. Karlie Lieberth, 2:18.57, 6. Morgan Willis, 2:24.14; Mile: 1. Morgan Willis, 5:03.52 (5), 4. Irene Frangos, 5:13.44 (1); 3,000m: 1. Jillian Roth, 10:21.70 (5), 2. Lea Suess, 10:26.31 (3), 5. Sarah Baker, 11:04.22; 60m Hurdles: 3. Brittany Cheese, 8.75 (2), 5. Alex Allen, 9.15 (1), 6. Skyler Willis, 9.17, 7. Ariane Beaumont-Courteau, 9.36; 4x400m Relay: 3. Akron A (Christian, Mason, Threats, S. Willis), 4:04.46 (3), 4. Akron B (Caldwell, Harbour, Lieberth, Weldon), 4:14.30; High Jump: 2. Gabriela Szkolnicka, 5-07.00 (3), 3. Skyler Willis, 5-05.00 (2); Pole Vault: 1. Alexandra Wood, 13-00.25 (5), 2. Claire Lucas, 13-00.25 (3), 3. Chelsey Detwiler, 12-08.25, 5. Ariane Beaumont-Courteau, 12-02.50, 8. Briana Kreiger, 10-08.75; Long Jump: 3. Katherine Lee, 18-08.50 (2), 4. Brittany Cheese, 18-06.50 (1), 5. Noelle Bradley, 18-03.00, 6. Amanda Pinheiro, 17-10.25; Triple Jump: 3. Iyisha Weaver, 39-07.75 (2), 5. Noelle Bradley, 34-07.50 (1); Shot Put: 3. Alexis Cooks, 48-02.00 (2), 5. Megan Dornisch, 45-08.50 (1), 6. Aliyah Cotton, 43-01.00, 7. Skyler Willis, 33-02.50; Weight Throw: 1. Alexis Cooks, 67-09.00 (5), 2. Brittany Funk, 66-09.25 (3), 4. Emily Suciu, 54-11.25, 6. Megan Dornisch, 50-08.25.
