The University of Akron Athletics
Akron Track and Field: Ranks Among Nation's Elite Programs
June 19 | Track & Field
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron Track and Field program is coming off another banner campaign in 2017 under the leadership of 22nd-year head coach Dennis Mitchell as seven Zips garnered 11 All-America citations.
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.
"This was a special year with the program winning all four track and field conference championships and scoring each of the national championships," Mitchell commented. "Despite losing athletes with eligibility remaining the last two years to professional contracts, we are fortunate to have elite athletes that can keep us competing at the highest level. I am very proud of the staff and the athletes that continue to step it up year after year."
The Zips' sustained dominance under 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.
"This was one of the most significant milestones to hit our program," said Mitchell. "To be with those other elite nine schools is a great tribute to what our program is and what it has done. If you look at the resources, the tradition, and the reputations of those athletic departments and their track teams, it is overwhelming. The important thing, is not for this to be a blip in Akron history, but for us to continue the streak for years to come."
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.
Since the start of the 2014 campaign, Akron has captured five national titles in pole vault led by a trio of championships from Shawn Barber (2014 Indoor, 2015 Indoor and 2015 Outdoor). Annika Roloff won the women's title during the 2014 outdoor season, while sophomore Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) took home top honors in the men's competition at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 9, in Eugene, Ore.
Additionally, Clayton Murphy won the 800 meters at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championship before earning his second title in the 1,500 meters at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championship. He later went on to win a bronze medal in the 800 meters at the 2016 Olympics.
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AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron Track and Field program is coming off another banner campaign in 2017 under the leadership of 22nd-year head coach Dennis Mitchell as seven Zips garnered 11 All-America citations.
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.
"This was a special year with the program winning all four track and field conference championships and scoring each of the national championships," Mitchell commented. "Despite losing athletes with eligibility remaining the last two years to professional contracts, we are fortunate to have elite athletes that can keep us competing at the highest level. I am very proud of the staff and the athletes that continue to step it up year after year."
The Zips' sustained dominance under 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.
"This was one of the most significant milestones to hit our program," said Mitchell. "To be with those other elite nine schools is a great tribute to what our program is and what it has done. If you look at the resources, the tradition, and the reputations of those athletic departments and their track teams, it is overwhelming. The important thing, is not for this to be a blip in Akron history, but for us to continue the streak for years to come."
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.
Since the start of the 2014 campaign, Akron has captured five national titles in pole vault led by a trio of championships from Shawn Barber (2014 Indoor, 2015 Indoor and 2015 Outdoor). Annika Roloff won the women's title during the 2014 outdoor season, while sophomore Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) took home top honors in the men's competition at the 2017 NCAA Outdoor Championships on June 9, in Eugene, Ore.
Additionally, Clayton Murphy won the 800 meters at the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championship before earning his second title in the 1,500 meters at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championship. He later went on to win a bronze medal in the 800 meters at the 2016 Olympics.
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