Zips' Track and Field Continues to Shine on National Stage

May 08 | Track & Field

Follow Zips Track & Field on Twitter (@ZipsTFCC) and Facebook

USTFCCCA DI MEN'S OUTDOOR T&F NATIONAL TEAM COMPUTER RANKINGS (MAY 8) | USTFCCCA D1 SQUAD RANKINGS (PDF) | GREAT LAKES REGIONAL RANKINGS | MAC STATISTICS

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's track and field team moved up one spot to No. 31 in the latest United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Team Rankings released on Monday, May 8.

Akron is the highest-rated team in the Mid-American Conference and is the No. 3 squad in the latest Great Lakes Regional poll. Additionally, the Zips' women's squad is ranked fourth in the most recent regional tally.

Akron continued its success in the latest USTFCCCA NCAA Division I Event Squad rankings released on Monday, May 8, as the Zips are ranked among the top five nationally in four events and amongst the top 10 in five different events. Akron is rated third, third, fourth, fifth and eighth, respectively, in the men's high jump, men's long jump, men's pole vault, women's 400-meter hurdles and women's high jump.

Akron currently has seven student-athletes ranked in the top-25 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS), including sophomore Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio), who owns the No. 2 mark nationally in the men's pole vault (18-8.25/5.70m).

Also rated among the top-25 is senior Phil Jagers (Solon, Ohio) (fourth in the men's discus – 203-6/62.04m), junior Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) (fifth in the women's heptathlon – 5,750), sophomore Cody Stine (Shelby, Ohio) (17th in the men's high jump – 7-1.50/2.17m), junior Terrell McClain (Youngstown, Ohio) (18th in men's long jump – 25-6.25/7.78m), senior Matt Rowland (Bellevue, Ohio) (21st in the men's pole vault – 17-7/5.36m) and sophomore Curtis Richardson (Blacklick, Ohio) (23rd in men's high jump – 7-1/2.16m).

The following Zips own conference-leading marks entering the MAC Outdoor Championships this weekend; junior Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) (men's 100 meters – 10.42), senior Daziah Green (Canton, Ohio) (women's 100 meters – 11.54 and women's 200 meters – 23.67), senior Miles Baldwin (Cincinnati, Ohio) (men's 400 meters – 46.72), sophomore Dara Perry (Akron, Ohio) (women's 100-meter hurdles – 13.56), Stine (men's high jump – 7-1.50/2.17m), Ludwig (men's pole vault – 18-8.25/5.70m), senior Becky Szabo (North Olmsted, Ohio) (women's pole vault – 13-7.75/4.16m), McClain (men's long jump – 25-6.25/7.78m), senior Mike Ohiembor (Dayton, Ohio) (men's triple jump – 51-11/15.82m), senior Weronika Gaudyn (Kracow, Poland) (women's triple jump – 42-2.75/12.87m), Jagers (men's discus – 203-6/62.04m) and Siefring (women's heptathlon – 5,750).

Additionally, the men's 4x100 relay squad of Baldwin, seniors Hakeem Lawrence (Miami, Fla.) and Anthony Young (Medina, Ohio) and redshirt junior Taron Slone (Columbus, Ohio) own the conference's best mark of 40.47.

The Zips now turn their attention to the MAC Championships hosted by Western Michigan beginning on Thursday, May 11, and running through Saturday, May 13. Both the Akron men's and women's squads will be seeking their seventh outdoor titles. A year ago, the Zips' men's team won the title, while the women's squad finished second after winning the title in 2015.