The University of Akron Athletics
University of Akron
Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships
Akron second after opening day competition at MAC Track and Field Championship
February 27 | Track & Field
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MAC CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | LIVE STATS | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | PRELIMINARY ENTRY LISTS
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Senior Brittany Funk (Jeromesville, Ohio) successfully defended her conference title in the women's weight throw recording a school-record throw of 71-8.75 to lead the efforts of the Akron men's and women's track and field team on the opening day of the Mid-American Conference Championship on Friday, Feb. 27.
Through six events in the women's championship, Akron has surged into second place with an opening-day total of 43.75 points. Eastern Michigan (48.75) owns a five-point advantage over the Zips, who are followed by Kent State (31.75), Northern Illinois (25 points), Ball State (20 points), Toledo (19 points), Bowling Green (12 points), Buffalo (10 points), Central Michigan (8.75 points), Ohio (eight points), Western Michigan (five points) and Miami (two points).
In the men's competition after four events, the Zips own 28 points and will enter second-day action in second place. Eastern Michigan is the men's leader with 44 points, followed by Akron, Central Michigan (20 points), Kent State (18 points) and Buffalo (13 points).
Freshman Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) and senior Skyler Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) finished second and third, respectively, in the pentathlon on the strength of cumulative scores of 3,796 and 3,706. Siefring's efforts resulted in the fifth-best score in program history.
In the first event of the pentathlon competition, the 60-meter hurdles, Willis and Siefring placed fourth and fifth in times of 8.67 and 8.91. The high jump followed with Willis and Siefring jumping 5-3 and 5-1.75 to post fourth- and sixth-place finishes.
The shot put followed with Siefring posting a second-place throw of 37-9.5 and Willis going 35-2.0 to come in sixth.
Siefring captured the long jump with a leap of 18-6.50, while Willis recorded a jump of 16-9.75.
The final event of the pentathlon was the 800-meter run where Willis took home the race with a time of 2:20.19, while Siefring crossed the line second in 2:22.30.
In the men's heptathlon freshman Jordan Latimer (Huber Heights, Ohio) is leading the competition with a four-event total of 3,240 points. Junior Quentin Cieslinski (Madison, Ohio) is third with a score of 2,885 and senior John Dahlstrand (Erie, Pa.) sits in seventh with a total of 2,698.
In the 60-meter dash, Latimer, Cieslinski and Dahlstrand finished second, seventh and eighth, respectively, with times of 7.17, 7.51 and 7.57.
Latimer won the long jump with a leap of 24-3.75, while Cieslinski and Dahlstrand jumped 21-3.5 and 20-4.25.
Latimer and Cieslinski capped their efforts on the day in the high jump sharing first place with marks of 6-9.5. Dahlstrand placed third with a clearance of 6-4.75.
The shot put followed with the Zips garnering second-, fourth- and fifth-place performances by Latimer (40-11.75), Dahlstrand (40-1.5) and Cieslinski (39-8.0).
Junior Alexis Cooks (Colorado Springs, Colo.) earned runner-up honors in the women's weight throw with a heave of 70-10.0.
In the men's weight throw junior Zack Shull (Columbus, Ohio) turned in a sixth-place effort with a throw of 62-6.5.
Latimer continued his strong day in the long jump going 24-7 to garner a second-place showing. Freshman Terrell McClain (Youngstown, Ohio) placed third with a mark of 23-11.75, while freshman Jamir Coleman (Lima, Ohio) came in sixth with a jump of 23-2.75.
Akron benefitted from sixth- and eighth-place performances in the women's long jump from sophomore Ana Martin-Sacristan (Valencia, Spain) and sophomore Daniella Johnson (Gahanna, Ohio) with leaps of 18-7.75 and 18-4.50.
Senior Claire Lucas (Sagamore Hills, Ohio) along with Ellie Braidic of Eastern Michigan and Kent State's Samantha Tollerud posted the top height (13-2.5) in the women's pole vault, but Lucas finished third based on clearing the mark on her second attempt. Junior Caroline Hasse (Potsdam, Germany) and sophomore Becky Szabo (North Olmsted, Ohio) rounded out Akron's efforts in the event finishing sixth (12-8.75) and seventh (12-2.75), respectively.
The defending champion in the 5,000-meters, senior Kyle Cochrun (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) was narrowly edged out at the line finishing second in a time of 14:25.56.
In the 60-meter hurdles, Willis advanced to the finals with a time of 8.82. Senior Kyle Walker (Cincinnati, Ohio) moved in the finals of the men's 60-meter hurdles with the second-best preliminary time (8.00).
Senior Shauniece Steele (Cincinnati, Ohio) and sophomore Daziah Green (Canton, Ohio) claimed the final two spots in the women's 400-meters with times of 57:32 and 57.44.
Recording the second- and seventh-fastest times in the men's 400-meters were sophomores Brent Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Miles Baldwin (Cincinnati, Ohio) in 48.63 and 49.50.
Senior Rachel Christian (Columbus, Ohio) earned the second-best finish in the women's 60-meter dash in 7.61 to advance to the finals, while in the men's race, junior Bryce Cheek (Lewis Center, Ohio) and junior Julius Ruby (Trotwood, Ohio) moved in Saturday's finale with times of 6.89 and 6.91. Narrowly missing a spot in the finals crossing the line in 6.97 was sophomore Hakeem Lawrence (Miami, Fla.).
Recording the top preliminary time in the women's 800-meters was sophomore Natalie Zidd (Hinckley, Ohio) in 2:12.83. In the men's 800-meters, sophomore Clayton Murphy (New Paris, Ohio) and sophomore Dan Zupan (Berea, Ohio) turned in the top and fourth-fastest times in 1:53.28 and 1:55.18, respectively.
Christian notched the second-best effort in the 200-meters to advance in 24.77. In the men's 200-meters, Ruby, sophomore Alante Oliver (Dayton, Ohio) and freshman Taron Slone (Columbus, Ohio) surged into the finals crossing the line in 22.11, 22.16 and 22.37.
Action concludes at the MAC Championship on Saturday with field events beginning at 11 a.m. and efforts on the track starting at 1:15 p.m.
AKRON MEN'S RESULTS:
Weight Throw: Zack Shull (sixth-62-6.5) and Phil Jagers (ninth-52-6.5); Long Jump: Jordan Latimer (second-24-7), Terrell McClain (third-23-11.75) and Jamir Coleman (sixth-23-2.75); 5,000-meters: Kyle Cochrun (second-14:25.53) and Trevor Norris (eighth-15:15.59); Distance Medley Relay: Nick Winkler, Garrett Crichlow, Dan Zupan and Sean Weems (fourth-10:15.64).
PRELIMINARIES:
60-meter hurdles: Kyle Walker (second-8.00); 400-meters: Brent Gray (second-48.63), Miles Baldwin (seventh-49.50) and Sean Weems (12th-50.46); 60-meter dash: Bryce Cheek (second-6.89), Julius Ruby (seventh-6.91) and Hakeem Lawrence (ninth-6.97); 800-meters: Clayton Murphy (first-1:53.28) and Dan Zupan (fourth-1:55.18); 200-meter dash: Julius Ruby (fourth-22.11), Alante Oliver (fifth-22.16) and Taron Slone (seventh-22.37).
AKRON WOMEN'S RESULTS:
Weight Throw: Brittany Funk (first-71-8.75), Alexis Cooks (second-70-10.0) and Megan Dornisch (11th-54-5.5); Pentathlon: Jackie Siefring (second-3,796) and Skyler Willis (fifth-3,706); Pole Vault: Claire Lucas (third-13-2.50), Carolina Hasse (sixth-12-8.75) and Becky Szabo (seventh-12-2.75); 5,000-meters: Maria Moore (17th-18:00.99); Long Jump: Ana Martin-Sacristan (sixth-18-7.75), Daniella Johnson (eighth-18-4.50) and Jackie Siefring (14th-17-9.50); Distance Medley Relay: Kayla Whitlow, Karlie Lieberth, Alexandra Blair and Maria Moore (ninth-12:33.98).
PRELIMINARIES:
60-meter hurdles: Skyler Willis (seventh-8.82), Jackie Siefring (11th-9.00) and Alexandra Allen (18th-9.44); 400-meters: Shauniece Steele (seventh-57.32), Daziah Green (eighth-57.44) and Desiree Garland (20th-1:04.52); 60-meter dash: Rachel Christian (second-7.61); 800-meters: Natalie Zidd (first-2:12.83); 200-meter dash: Rachel Christian (second-24.77) and Daziah Green (11th-25.28).
