The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
MAC Outdoor Championships
Men And Women Finish Runner-Up At MAC Outdoor Championships
May 17 | Track & Field
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2014 MAC Outdoor Championships Central | Event Schedule (PDF)
ATHENS, Ohio – After three thrilling days of competition, The University of Akron men's and women's teams each placed runner-up at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships, hosted by Ohio University.
The Zips men's team, which had led after the first two days, couldn't hold off a late charge by Eastern Michigan despite crowning three more MAC Champions in Kyle Cochrun (5,000m), Martel Durant (High Jump) and Clayton Murphy (1,500m). With a total of 180.50 points, Akron was denied its fourth straight MAC Outdoor title by the Eagles, who finished with 198.50 points.
The race was much tighter on the women's side as the Zips, who started the day in third place, pulled to within three points of eventual winner Kent State after taking the top three positions in the pole vault with one event to go.
But the Golden Flashes placed ahead of Akron in the 4x400 relay to secure their fifth straight MAC Outdoor Championship, finishing just five points ahead of the Zips.
The women's race heated up after Annika Roloff, Ariane Beaumont-Courteau and Caroline Hasse dominated the pole vault late in the afternoon. Roloff, the 2014 MAC Indoor Champion who also placed third at the NCAA Indoor Championships, won the event with a MAC Championships Meet record jump of 14-01.75 while Ariane Beaumont-Courteau and Caroline Hasse each tied for second with clearances of 13-00.75.
The women's late surge would not have been possible, however, had it not been for the efforts of Skyler Willis, who contributed to 21 points Saturday.
Willis placed runner-up in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.71, took third in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.11 and placed fifth in the high jump with a clearance of 5-07.25. Furthermore, the Cincinnati native also ran the first leg of the 4x400 relay team that recorded a collective mark of 3:44.81 in a sixth-place finish.
Roloff was a high point earner for the women as well. In addition to winning the pole vault, Roloff placed third in the 100m hurdles with a personal-record time of 13.92, which is ranked fourth-fastest on the Zips' career list.
Also medaling for the women's team Saturday were Alexis Cooks, who placed runner-up in the discus with a throw of 180-11, Weronika Gaudyn, who did the same in the triple jump with a leap of 40-11.00, and Gabriela Szkolnicka, who took third in the high jump with a clearance of 5-09.25.
Overall, it was a strong showing from the women's team, which was in the hunt for its first team title since 2009 and logged its third straight runner-up finish at a MAC meet going back to last year's outdoor championships.
The Zips men's team got off to a strong start Saturday by finishing 2-5-8 in the triple jump – totalling 13 points – thanks to a pair of personal records by Mike Ohiembor and Daryl Baptiste.
Ohiembor led the way with a huge mark of 49-11.75, which was nearly two feet better than his previous best, while Baptiste made the biggest improvement, breaking his PR by four feet with a leap of 48-10.75. Miles Coats was the third UA athlete to score in the event with a jump of 47-00.25.
Akron then crowned its third individual champion of the weekend in the men's 1,500-meters when Murphy used a late push to overtake Eastern Michigan's Grzegorz Kalinowski for the event title with a time of 4:02.38.
UA also got a big boost when Friday night's steeplechase champion Dan Zupan pulled out a third-place finish – crossing the line in 4:04.08 and just a split second faster than Buffalo's Brian Crimmins (4:04.23) – and Zach Goulet contributed a seventh-place finish with a time of 4:06.50.
Continuing the momentum, Brent Gray led a trio of Akron point-scorers in the 400-meters with a stunning time of 46.87. With a third-place finish, Gray became just the second UA athlete to run a sub 47-second mark in the 400m and is currently ranked second – only to James Howell's milestone of 46.81 from 2007 – on the Zips career list. Following Gray's lead, Miles Baldwin came in fifth (47.14) and Ohiembor took eighth (48.13).
Saturday's action was also highlighted by a couple of repeat conference champions as Durant and Cochrun successfully defended their respective individual titles.
Durant cleared 6-10.50 to win his second straight MAC Outdoor Championship in the high jump while Cochrun ran a time of 14:29.29 to sweep the conference crown in the 5K for 2014.
The Zips closed out the competition by taking second in the 4x400 relay as Sean Weems, who also placed third in the 400-meter hurdles with a personal-record time of 51.99, Miles Baldwin, De'Waylan Letlow and Gray clocked in at 3:09.88, collectively.
Eastern Michigan took their first lead of the day after scoring 18 points in the 800-meters with a 1-2 finish, then added some space with 16 points in the 200m by placing 2-3-7.
The Zips will have a week off from competition to prepare for the NCAA Preliminary Round, which will be hosted by North Florida University in Jacksonville, Fla., from May 29-31. To qualify, athletes must be ranked in the top 48 of their region in their respective events.
The Zips and Golden Flashes split PNC Wagon Wheel Challenge points as a result of this weekend's championships with the UA men earning one point and the KSU women earning another. With just baseball remaining, Akron now trails Kent State in the 7.5-6.5 in the standings.
RESULTS – MAC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
May 17, 2014 | Ohio University | Goldsberry Track & Field Complex | Athens, Ohio
MEN'S TEAM SCORES
1. Eastern Michigan (198.50), 2. Akron (180.50), 3. Kent State (157), 4. Buffalo (138), 5. Central Michigan (70), 6. Miami (Ohio) (69).
MEN'S RESULTS
100m: 5. D.J. Williamson, 10.84 (4), 7. Julius Ruby, 10.87 (2); 400m: 3. Brent Gray, 46.87 (6), 5. Miles Baldwin, 47.14 (4), 8. Mike Ohiembor, 48.13 (1); 800m: 4. Jake Hiltner, 1:50.52 (5), 6. Clayton Murphy, 1:51.05 (3); 5,000m: 1. Kyle Cochrun, 14:29.29 (10), 15. Clayton Murphy, 15:28.06; 110m Hurdles: 7. Kyle Walker, 14.80 (2); 400m Hurdles: 3. Sean Weems, 51.99 (6), 7. De'Waylan Letlow, 52.85 (2); 1,500m: 1. Clayton Murphy, 4:02.38 (10), 3. Dan Zupan, 4:04.08 (6), 7. Zach Goulet, 4:06.50 (2); 4x100 Relay: 4. Akron (Julius Ruby, Nick Owens, Miles Baldwin, D.J. Williamson), 40.70 (5); 4x400 Relay: 2. Akron (Sean Weems, Miles Baldwin, De'Waylan Letlow, Brent Gray), 3:09.88 (8); High Jump: 1. Martel Durant, 6-10.50 (10), 7. Quentin Cieslinski, 6-06.75 (1.50), 10. John Dahlstrand, 6-04.75; Triple Jump: 2. Mike Ohiembor, 49-11.75 (8), 5. Daryl Baptiste, 48-10.75 (4), 8. Miles Coats, 47-00.25 (1); Discus: 7. Phil Jagers, 171-09 (2).
WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES
1. Kent State (132), 2. Akron (127), 3. Eastern Michigan (100.50), 4. Buffalo (87.50), 5. Western Michigan (70), 6. Central Michigan (63), 7. Bowling Green (60), 8. Miami (Ohio) (57), 9. Northern Illinois (42), 10. Ohio (41), 11. Toledo (37), 12. Ball State (1).
WOMEN'S RESULTS
200m: 4. Daziah Green, 24.05 (5); 400m: 4. Desiree Garland, 55.32 (5), 7. Shauniece Steele, 64.11 (2); 5,000m: 15. Jillian Roth, 18:06.38, 19. Michaela Foisy, 18:21.90; 100m Hurdles: 2. Skyler Willis, 13.71 (8), 3. Annika Roloff, 13.92 (6); 400m Hurdles: 3. Skyler Willis, 59.11 (6); 4x100 Relay: 6. Akron (Daniella Johnson, Desiree Garland, Shauniece Steele, Daziah Green), 46.42 (3); 4x400 Relay: 6. Akron (Skyler Willis, Desiree Garland, Shauniece Steele, Daziah Green), 3:44.81 (3); High Jump: 3. Gabriela Szkolincka, 5-09.25 (6), 5. Skyler Willis, 5-07.25 (4); Pole Vault: 1. Annika Roloff, 14-01.75 (10), 2. Ariane Beaumont-Courteau, 13-00.75 (7), 2. Caroline Hasse, 13-00.75; Triple Jump: 2. Weronika Gaudyn, 40-11.00 (8), 4. Iyisha Weaver, 39-08.00 (5), 7. Ana Martin-Sacristan, 38-04.25 (2); Discus: 2. Alexis Cooks, 180-11 (8).
2014 All-MAC Team
Men's First Team
Clayton Murphy, Akron (1500 meter run)
Dan Zupan, Akron (3000 meter steeplechase)
Kyle Cochrun, Akron (5000 meter run)
Martel Durant, Akron (High jump)
Shawn Barber, Akron (Pole vault)
Jacob Sunday, Buffalo (Javelin throw)
Mike Morgan, Buffalo (Decathlon)
Jonathan Jones, Buffalo (Shot put)
Parker Scott, Central Michigan (400 meter hurdles)
Tyler Brown, Eastern Michigan (400 meter dash, 4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Grzegorz Kalinowski, Eastern Michigan (800 meter run)
Willy Fink, Eastern Michigan (10000 meter run)
Cameron Bolton, Eastern Michigan (4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Jeff Elam, Eastern Michigan (4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Chris Scott, Eastern Michigan (4x100 meter relay)
Mason Waynes, Eastern Michigan (4x400 meter relay)
Donald Scott, Eastern Michigan (Long jump, Triple jump)
Wayne Gordon, Kent State (100 meter dash, 200 meter dash)
William Barnes, Kent State (110 meter hurdles)
Reginald Jagers, Kent State (Discus throw)
Matthias Tayala, Kent Sate (Hammer Throw)
Men's Second Team
Shawn Light, Akron (Pole vault)
Mike Ohiembor, Akron (Triple jump)
Alex McCune, Akron (Decathlon)
Ryan Billian, Buffalo (110 meter hurdles, Long jump)
Evan Palmer, Buffalo (Shot put, Hammer Throw)
Kyle Smith, Central Michigan (Javelin throw)
Scott Bradley, Eastern Michigan (800 meter run)
Daryl Smith, Eastern Michigan (3000 meter steeplechase)
Miles Dunlap, Kent State (400 meter dash, 400 meter hurdles)
Laron Brown III, Kent State (4x100 meter relay)
Nathaniel Scales, Kent State (4x100 meter relay)
Peter Stefanski, Miami (High jump)
Women's First Team
Annika Roloff, Akron (Pole Vault)
Brooke Pleger, Bowling Green (Hammer throw)
Donna Jeanty, Buffalo (400 meter hurdles, 4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Malayah White, Buffalo (4x100 meter relay)
Camaria Long, Buffalo (4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Crystal Graham, Buffalo (4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Asia Henry, Buffalo (4x400 meter relay)
Sarah Chauchard, Eastern Michigan (Heptathlon)
Aaliyah McKinney, Eastern Michigan (100 meter dash, 200 meter dash)
Victoria Voronko, Eastern Michigan (1500 meter run, 3000 meter steeplechase)
Ann Marie Duffus, Kent State (100 meter hurdles)
Dior Delophont, Kent State (High jump, Triple jump)
Roseanne Erickson, Kent State (Long jump)
Danniel Thomas, Kent State (Shot Put, Discus throw)
Charlotte Myers, Miami (800 meter run)
Tori Paterra, Miami (Javelin throw)
Juli Accurso, Ohio (5000 meter run, 10000 meter run)
Alexis Hull, Western Michigan (400 meter dash)
Women's Second Team
Alexis Cooks, Akron (Discus throw)
Jessica Delic, Akron (Javelin throw)
Brittany Funk, Akron (Hammer throw)
Caroline Hasse, Akron (Pole vault)
Skyler Willis, Akron (100 meter hurdles)
Daniella Johnson, Akron (Long jump)
Weronika Gaudyn, Akron (Triple jump)
Ariane Beaumont-Courteau, Akron (Pole vault)
Jeanette Pettigrew, Bowling Green (100 meter dash)
Emma Siuciak, Buffalo (Heptathlon)
Bridget Doughty, Central Michigan (400 meter hurdles)
Kate Wolanin, Eastern Michigan (High jump)
Anna Lamb, Miami (10000 meter run)
Meghan Heuer, Northern Illinois (1500 meter run)
Mackenzie Chojnacky, Toledo (3000 meter steeplechase)
Joh'vonnie Mosley, Kent Sate (Shot put)
Andrea Arnold, Western Michigan (400 meter dash, 4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay)
Sarita Dotson, Western Michigan (4x100 meter relay)
Naiomi Dulaney, Western Michigan (4x100 meter relay)
Kathryn Pickett, Western Michigan (4x400 meter relay)
Sarita Dotson, Western Michigan (4x400 meter relay)
Players Mentioned
