Akron Hosts Zips Invitational In Its Final Tune-Up Before MAC Track and Field Championships

Friday, February 16

Akron, Ohio

University of Akron

Zips Invitational

Photo by: Jeff Harwell

Akron Hosts Zips Invitational In Its Final Tune-Up Before MAC Track and Field Championships

February 15 | Track & Field

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ZIPS INVITATIONAL: MEET INFORMATION (PDF) | MEET SCHEDULE (PDF) | LIVE STATS | ACCEPTED ENTRIES

AKRON, Ohio – In its final tune-up before next weekend's Mid-American Conference Track and Field Championships, the University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams will host the Zips Invitational this Friday, Feb. 16, at the Stile Athletics Field House.

UP NEXT: Akron will welcome competitors from Buffalo and Youngstown State. The first of 28 events get underway with the women's pole vault at 6:30 p.m. and runs through the men's and women's 4x400 relays that are scheduled to begin at 9:15 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door for $10 (cash only). Akron students with valid ID will be admitted free of charge. All fans should enter through the Akron student recreation center main entrance.

Live stats of the Akron Invitational will be available at GoZips.com.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have continued to garner recognition for their efforts this season as the Zips' women's squad is ranked 29th and the men 34th, respectively, in the 2018 United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division I Indoor Track and Field National Team Computer Rankings released on Feb. 12.

The Zips' men's and women's squads are the highest-rated teams in the Mid-American Conference, while the men's and women's squads are ranked No. 20 and No. 25, respectively, in the final Collegiate Indoor Dual Meet Rankings as compiled by Jesse Squire for Track and Field News. The Akron women and men are also ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in the Great Lakes Regional polls.

ZIPS AMONG NATION'S BEST IN LATEST TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron currently has seven student-athletes ranked in the top-25 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS), including junior Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio) who is second in the men's pole vault (18-6.75/5.66m).

Also rated among the top-25 is senior Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) (third in women's pentathlon – 4,308 and 17th in the long jump – 20-3.50/6.18m), sophomore Lucy Bryan (Bristol, England) (fourth in the women's pole vault – 14-8/4.47m), redshirt junior Jordan Latimer (Huber Heights, Ohio) (11th in men's long jump – 25-7.50/7.81m), senior Patricia Ortega (Logrono, Spain) (15th in the women's pentathlon – 4,008), freshman Jenna Frantz (Versailles, Ohio) (21st in the women's pole vault – 13-8.50/4.18m) and junior Cody Stine (Shelby, Ohio) (23rd in the men's high jump – 7-1/2.16m).

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips garnered a pair of school records a week ago as part of five overall top-five program marks.

For the second time in as many week, junior Dara Perry (Akron, Ohio) broke her own school-record mark in the women's 60-meter hurdles winning the event at the Kent State Qualifier in a time of 8.38. She bettered the previous standard by four one-hundredths of a second.

In the women's mile at the Husky Classic, redshirt junior Mackenzie Andrews (Toowoomba, Australia) established a new school-record time of 4:40.75.

Turning in the third-best mark in indoor program history in the women's shot put was junior Abigale Wilson (Carrollton, Ohio), who registered a throw of 52-3.75 (15.94m) at the Kent State Qualifier.

Senior Phil Jagers (Solon, Ohio) registered a career-best mark of 65-6 (19.96m) to claim victory in the men's weight throw. His effort stands as the third-longest throw in indoor program history.

Freshman Noah Williams (Hilton, N.Y.) capped the Zips' efforts running the fourth-fastest time in indoor program history in the men's 400 meters crossing the line in 47.34.

A YEAR AGO: The University of Akron track and field teams combined to register 21 triumphs at the Zips Invitational on Feb. 17, 2017, at the Stile Athletics Fields House.

Redshirt junior Maurice Harris (Toledo, Ohio) was a double-winner for Akron registering a mark of 54-6.50 (16.63m) to win the men's shot put, while also garnering a victory in the men's weight throw with a mark of 58-2.75 (17.75m).

Senior Tara Snipes (Covington, Ohio) captured the first triumph of the night for the Zips taking the women's mile in 5:10.73, before later winning the women's 800 meters with a time of 2:16.83.

Matt Ludwig jumped 18-1 (5.51m) to triumph in the men's pole vault.

Jackie Siefring captured top honors in the women's 400 meters with a time of 55.69.

Senior Kwadarrius Smith (Orlando, Fla.) won the men's 60 meters with a time of 6.80, while senior Daziah Green (Canton, Ohio) crossed line first in the women's 60 meters in 7.58. Green also took first place in the 200 meters with a time of 24.40.

Abigale Wilson recorded a toss of 48-1 (14.66m) to take the victory in the women's shot put.

Junior Ben Olewiler (Shiloh, Ohio) eclipsed 6-4.25 (1.94m) to win the men's high jump, while redshirt sophomore Malik Hudson (Cleveland, Ohio) garnered first place in the men's long jump with a mark of 22-10.75 (6.98m).

Senior Taron Slone (Columbus, Ohio) won the men's 200 meters with a time of 21.66.

The men's 4x400 relay team of Mike Ohiembor, redshirt junior Adam Downing (Sylvania, Ohio), redshirt sophomore Joe Harrington (Youngstown, Ohio) and redshirt junior Milton Greer (Copley, Ohio) posted a winning time of 3:27.33.

Crossing the line in 4:02.03 to take top honors in the women's 4x400 relay was the Zips' quartet of junior Sydney Stokes (Gahanna, Ohio), sophomore Iman Batiste (Dublin, Ohio), redshirt sophomore Autumn Young (Medina, Ohio) and Michalla Gordon.

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