Akron Track and Field Set to Host 2017 Celebration Banquet

Akron Track and Field Set to Host 2017 Celebration Banquet

October 03 | Track & Field

Follow Akron Cross Country on Twitter and Facebook

AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron track and field program will hold its 2017 Celebration Banquet on Sunday, Oct. 8, from 12:45 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Stile Athletics Field House.

The special event is open to the public and lunch will be provided. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. Student-athletes, family and friends wishing to attend the event should RSVP to Becky Szabo by Oct. 5 via email at akrontfxcops@uakron.edu.

The Zips completed another record-setting campaign in 2017 as Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) won the NCAA outdoor pole vault title to headline 11 All-America citations for Akron student-athletes and six school records for the 2017 indoor and outdoor seasons.

In 2017, Akron was one of only four non Power-5 Conference schools to earn points at both the 2017 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships, and one of only two from a Northern State.

The Zips' sustained dominance under head coach Dennis Mitchell is even more impressive over the past four seasons as Akron has won seven of the program's nine national titles en route to earning 19 indoor and 36 outdoor All-America awards.

Over the same span, Akron is one of only 10 programs nationally to have scored in both the men's and women's team competitions at the NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. The Zips are the lone non Power-5 Conference institution included on that list.

Akron joins Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana State and Texas A&M from the Southeastern Conference, Oregon and Southern California from the Pac-12 Conference and Texas from the Big 12 Conference. Not represented on the list are schools from the Atlantic Coast and Big Ten Conferences.

Over the four-year period, Oregon has won six indoor NCAA titles (three men and three women), while Texas A&M and Arkansas own the remaining men's and women's championships. In the outdoor competition, Florida and Oregon have registered a pair of men's team titles, while the Ducks, Arkansas and the Aggies own two, one and one women's championships, respectively.

Akron excelled on the track during the outdoor campaign as six Zips earned a berth to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore. During the indoor season, five Akron student-athletes punched their tickets to the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in College Station, Texas.

The Zips' men's and women's teams each captured their seventh overall Mid-American Conference Outdoor titles in May. During the indoor campaign the Zips' men's squad won its fourth consecutive and sixth overall title, while the women's team won its sixth indoor crown and first since 2009.

It marked the first time in program history in which the Zips have swept the men's and women's team championships during both the indoor and outdoor campaigns.

Mitchell was rewarded for his efforts this season as he was selected as the MAC Coach of the Year for the men and women during the indoor and outdoor campaigns.

Akron concluded the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship, June 7-10, with the Zips turning in five performances that garnered first- or second-team All-America recognition.

Collecting first-team All-America recognition for the Zips was sophomore Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) in the men's pole vault, senior Nikki Manson (Glasgow, Scotland) and juniors Terrell McClain (Youngstown, Ohio) and Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) in the women's high jump, men's long jump and women's heptathlon, respectively.

Earning second-team All-America honors for Akron in the men's shot put was senior Phil Jagers (Solon, Ohio), while sophomore Cody Stine (Shelby, Ohio) was tabbed as honorable mention All-America selection in the men's high jump.

On the strength of his winning performance in the men's pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Ludwig added to the tradition of the Zips' track and field program, which now includes nine individual national championships following his triumph, including four in men's pole vault.

Collectively, the Zips established two new school records on the men's side during the outdoor campaign, while setting a pair of marks for the women.

Overall, Akron recorded 13 performances for the women and eight for the men among the top-five on the all-time Zips' outdoor lists.

Earning first-team All-MAC accolades during the outdoor season on the women's side were senior Ariadna Ramos Gandia (Barcelona, Spain) in the triple jump, senior Daniella Johnson (Gahanna, Ohio) in the long jump and Siefring in the heptathlon.

Taking home first-team laurels on the men's side was senior Miles Baldwin (Cincinnati, Ohio) in the 400 meters, senior Hakeem Lawrence (Miami, Fla.) in the 100 meters, redshirt sophomore Jordan Latimer (Huber Heights, Ohio) in the long jump, Ludwig in the pole vault, sophomore Curtis Richardson (Blacklick, Ohio) in the high jump, and the 4x400 relay of Lawrence, Baldwin, sophomore Joe Harrington (Youngstown, Ohio) and redshirt junior Taron Slone (Columbus, Ohio).

The Zips also had 10 student-athletes recognized with second-team honors. That list included; senior Weronika Gaudyn (Kracow, Poland) in the women's triple jump, Jagers in the men's shot put, Manson in the women's high jump, McClain in the men's long jump, senior Mike Ohiembor (Dayton, Ohio) in the men's triple jump, senior Patricia Ortega (Logrono, Spain) in the heptathlon, Siefring in the women's 400-meter hurdles, and the men's 4x400 relay of Harrington, Ohiembor, Slone and Baldwin.

During the indoor campaign, a trio of Akron student-athletes collected first-team All-America recognition for the Zips in freshman Lucy Bryan (Bristol, England), Ludwig in the men's pole vault and McClain in the men's long jump. Earning second-team honors for Akron was Manson in the women's high jump and Siefring in the pentathlon.

Collectively, the Zips established a pair of school records, one on both the men's and women's sides during the indoor campaign.

Overall, Akron recorded seven performances for the men and six for the women among the top-five on the all-time Zips' outdoor lists.

Earning first-team All-MAC accolades on the women's side were Johnson in the long jump, Manson in the high jump, Ramos Gandia in the triple jump and Siefring in the pentathlon.

Taking home first-team laurels on the men's side were Lawrence in the 60 meters, Ludwig in the pole vault, McClain in the long jump, Ohiembor in the triple jump and the distance medley relay team of junior Garrett Crichlow (Twinsburg, Ohio), Ohiembor, and seniors Zach Alexander (Tiffin, Ohio) and Dan Zupan (Berea, Ohio).

The Zips also had sixteen student-athletes recognized with second-team honors. That list included; Alexander in the men's 800 meters, redshirt sophomore Mackenzie Andrews (Toowoomba, Australia) in the women's 800 meters, Bryan in the pole vault, Gaudyn in the women's triple jump, senior Daziah Green (Canton, Ohio) in the women's 60 and 200 meters, sophomore Dara Perry (Akron, Ohio) in the women's 60-meter hurdles, Slone in the men's 200 meters, Siefring in the women's long jump, Stine in the men's high jump, redshirt junior Hakeem Wrimene (Cincinnati, Ohio) in the men's 60 meters, the men's 4x400 relay squad of senior Anthony Young (Medina, Ohio), Slone, senior Alante Oliver (Dayton, Ohio) and Baldwin, and the women's distance medley relay team of redshirt junior Tara Snipes (Covington, Ohio), freshman Bailey Lack (Brunswick, Ohio), redshirt junior Michalla Gordon (Wadsworth, Ohio) and Andrews.