Akron maintains men's and women's lead at Mid-American Conference Track and Field Championship

Friday, May 15

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships

Akron maintains men's and women's lead at Mid-American Conference Track and Field Championship

May 15 | Track & Field

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MUNCIE, Ind. – Strong second-day performances from the University of Akron track and field team at the Mid-American Conference Track and Field Championship on Friday, May 15, have placed the Zips in contention to win their sixth men's and women's outdoor league titles, respectively, when the meet concludes on Saturday, May 16.

In the team standings, the Zips lead the women's competition maintaining a 5.5-point advantage over Eastern Michigan. In the men's championship, Akron finds itself tied for first with Eastern Michigan, as each team owns 76 points.

"As usual it is a hard-fought battle, a classic MAC Championship with the scores closes together, both men and women," Akron head coach Dennis Mitchell commented. "We put ourselves in good position, especially with the men's long jump posting a one, two, four finish and freshman Jordan (Latimer) winning a conference championship."

"Doing well in the women's long jump, getting three places there. Alexis (Cooks) moving up a position in the women's shot put to get second. In the steeplechase we earned some good points taking second and third. The hammer throwers did a great job placing three people as well. We got through a lot of our events and got in the finals to set up everything we need to get going. Our heptathlete, Jackie (Siefrieng), had an amazing meet; normally what she did today would probably get her into the nationals. We got a school record out of Skyler (Willis) in the 100 hurdles and we received a great performance from Quentin (Cieslinski) in the decathlon taking third and getting a huge personal record."

Senior Alexis Cooks (Colorado Springs, Colo.) set a school record with a throw of 54-3.75 to capture second place in the women's shot put.

The Zips garnered points from redshirt sophomore Ana Martin-Sacristan (Valencia, Spain), freshman Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) and sophomore Daniella Johnson (Gahanna, Ohio) in the women's long jump as the trio placed third, fifth and seventh, respectively, with jumps of 19-6, 19-2.50 and 19-0.

Siefring turned in a stellar performance in the heptathlon finishing second with the third-highest point total (5,377) in program history. She placed second in the 200 meters (24.63) and 800 meters (2:19.06), while coming in third in the long jump (18-6.50) and javelin (118-1).

Advancing to the final in the 100-meter hurdles in a school-record time of 13.65 was senior Skyler Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio), who posted the third-best time in the preliminaries.

Turning in the second-fastest time in school history and the best in the preliminary round in the 100 meters to move into the finals was senior Rachel Christian (Columbus, Ohio).

Also advancing to Saturday's championship finals was sophomore Daziah Green (Canton, Ohio) in the 200 and 400 meters, senior Kayla Whitlow (Euclid, Ohio) in the 800 meters, Siefring and Willis in the 400-meter hurdles and Christian in the 200 meters.

In men's action, freshman Jordan Latimer (Huber Heights, Ohio) won the men's long jump equaling the third-best jump (25-2.75) in school history. Fellow freshman Terrell McClain (Youngstown, Ohio) registered the fifth-longest jump (25-0.50) in program history to earn second-place honors, while junior Joe Oduho (Erie, Pa.) placed third with a leap of 24-2.25.

Sophomore Dan Zupan (Berea, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore Aaron Howkins (Stow, Ohio) finished second and third, respectively, in the 3,000-meter steeplechase crossing the line in 9:14.96 and 9:17.06.

Contributing points in the hammer throw with fifth-, sixth- and eighth-place efforts was redshirt junior Zack Shull (Columbus, Ohio), redshirt junior Bobby Mitman (Mansfield, Ohio) and sophomore Phil Jagers (Solon, Ohio) with marks of 189-2, 185-3 and 177-11, respectively.

Redshirt junior Casey Slane (Marion, Ohio) added a point in the shot put placing eighth with a throw of 54-3.25.

Redshirt sophomore Quentin Cieslinski (Madison, Ohio) closed out the second day of the decathlon finishing third with a 10-event total of 7,034 points.

He won the 1,500 meters in a time of 4:42.90, while placing second in the pole vault (15-0.25), third in the javelin (164-10) and fourth in the discus (120-2) and 110-meter hurdles (15.15).

Winning the preliminaries of the 800 meters in 1:52.90 was sophomore Clayton Murphy (New Paris, Ohio).

Placing second in the preliminaries of the 400 meters was redshirt junior Brent Gray (Cincinnati, Ohio) in 47.13, while sophomore Miles Baldwin (Cincinnati, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore Mike Ohiembor (Dayton, Ohio) also moved into the finals crossing the line in third (47.40) and eighth (48.23).

Additionally, advancing to Saturday's championship finals was redshirt junior Bryce Cheek (Lewis Center, Ohio), redshirt junior Julius Ruby (Trotwood, Ohio) and senior D.J. Williamson (Warren, Ohio) in the 100 meters, senior Sean Weems (Maple Heights, Ohio) in the 400-meter hurdles, redshirt sophomore Alante Oliver (Dayton, Ohio) and Baldwin in the 200 meters and senior Kyle Walker (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Latimer in the 110-meter hurdles.

"We are off to a good roll, I feel good about where we are at, it is just going to be a classic fight between us and Eastern Michigan," said Mitchell.

The final day of the championship kicks off with the women's triple jump at 10:30 a.m. The first running event is slated to begin at 1 p.m. with the men's 4x100 relay.

FRIDAY WOMEN'S RESULTS:

PRELIMINARIES: 1,500 Meters: Natalie Zidd (15th-4:52.77); 100-Meter Hurdles: Skyler Willis (third-13.65); 400 Meters: Daziah Green (third-55.22); 100 Meters: Rachel Christian (first-11.54), Daniella Johnson (12th-12.00), Samia Bell (13th-12.01); 800 Meters: Kayla Whitlow (ninth-2:11.96); 400-Meter Hurdles: Jackie Siefring (fourth-60.38), Skyler Willis (10th-60.66); 200 Meters: Rachel Christian (third-23.93), Daziah Green (fourth-23.99).

FINALS: Long Jump: Ana Martin-Sacristan (third-19-6/5.94m), Jackie Siefring (fifth-19-2.50/5.85m), Daniella Johnson (seventh-19-0/5.79m); Shot Put: Alexis Cooks (second-54-3.75/16.55m), Megan Dornisch (16th-45-6.50/13.88m).

Heptathlon: Jackie Siefring (second-5,377 points); 100-Meter Hurdles: Siefring (fourth-14.25); High Jump: Siefring (sixth-5-3/1.60m); Shot Put: Siefring (fourth-36-7.50/11.16m); 200 Meters: Siefring (second-24.63); Long Jump: Siefring (third-18-6.50/5.65m); Javelin: Siefring (third-118-1/36.01m); 800 Meters: Siefring (second-2:19.06).

THURSDAY WOMEN'S RESULTS:

10,000 Meters: Maria Moore (10th-36:54.70); Hammer: Alexis Cooks (third-196-9/59.97m), Megan Dornisch (fourth-193-2/58.88m); Javelin: Jess Delic (first-152-4/46.45m); Pole Vault: Caroline Hasse (first-13-1.75/4.01m), Claire Lucas (fifth-12-8/3.86m), Becky Szabo (fifth-12-8/3.86m).

Team Standings:

1) Akron (65 points)

2) Eastern Michigan (59.5)

3) Kent State (49)

4) Toledo (34)

5) Northern Illinois (27)

6) Central Michigan (22)

7) Bowling Green (17)

8) Western Michigan (13)

9) Buffalo (11.5)

10) Ohio (8)

11) Miami (6)

FRIDAY MEN'S RESULTS:

PRELIMINARIES: 400 Meters: Brent Gray (second-47.13), Miles Baldwin (third-47.40), Mike Ohiembor (eighth-48.23); 100 Meters: Bryce Cheek (fifth-10.60), Julius Ruby (eighth-10.61) D.J. Williamson (10th-10.64); 800 Meters: Clayton Murphy (first-1:52.90); 400-Meter Hurdles: Sean Weems (10th-54.21); 200 Meters: Alante Oliver (fourth-21.50), Miles Baldwin (sixth-21.69), Taron Slone (11th-22.25): 110-Meter Hurdles: Kyle Walker (second-14.21), Jordan Latimer (seventh-14.56)

FINALS: Hammer Throw: Zack Shull (fifth-189-2/57.67m), Bobby Mitman (sixth-185-3/56.48m), Phil Jagers (eighth-177-11/54.24m); Long Jump: Jordan Latimer (first-25-2.75/7.69m), Terrell McClain (second-25-0.50/7.63m), Joe Oduho (fourth-24-2.25/7.37); Shot Put: Casey Slane (eighth-54-3.25/16.54m), Maurice Harris (12th-50-4.75/15.36m), Jesse Braun (13th-50-1.25/15.27m); 3,000-Meter Steeplechase: Dan Zupan (second-9:14.96), Aaron Howkins (third-(9:17.06).

Decathlon: Cieslinski (third-7,034 points); 100 Meters: Quentin Cieslinski (third-11:30); Long Jump: Cieslinski (first-22-5.75/6.85m); Shot Put: Cieslinski (third-39-4.50/12.00m); High Jump: Cieslinski (fourth-6-2/1.88m); 400 Meters: Cieslinski (fourth-52.72); 110-Meter Hurdles: Cieslinski (fourth-15.15); Discus: Cieslinski (fourth-120-2/36.63m); Pole Vault: Cieslinski (second-15-0.25/4.58m); Javelin: Cieslinski (third-164-10/50.26m), 1,500 Meters: Cieslinski (first-4:42.90).

THURSDAY MEN'S RESULTS:

10,000 Meters: Trevor Norris (fourth-30:34.06), Kyle Cochrun (sixth-30:45.69); Javelin: Bryce Lemon (first-217-4/66.25m), John Dahlstrand (third-198-6/60.51m).

Team Standings:

1) Akron (76 points)

Eastern Michigan (76)

3) Kent State (33)

4) Miami (32)

Buffalo (32)

6) Central Michigan (21)