Siefring Headlines Zips' Day-One Efforts at MAC Track and Field Championships

Friday, February 23

Bowling Green, Ohio

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Championships

Siefring Headlines Zips' Day-One Efforts at MAC Track and Field Championships

February 23 | Track & Field

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MAC CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL | FRIDAY RESULTS (HTML) | FRIDAY RESULTS (PDF) | HEAD COACH DENNIS MITCHELL COMMENTS | SIEFRING COMMENTS | PHOTO GALLERY | LUDWIG COMMENTS | MEET SCHEDULE (PDF) | VIDEO PREVIEW | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | HEAT SHEETS (PDF) | ACCEPTED ENTRIES (PDF)

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – University of Akron senior Jackie Siefring (Covington, Ohio) captured a pair of Mid-American Conference titles taking home victories in the women's long jump and pentathlon to headline the efforts of the Zips on the opening day of the MAC Track and Field Championships on Friday, Feb. 23, at Perry Fieldhouse in Bowling Green, Ohio.

The triumphs represent the team-best sixth and seventh career league crowns for Siefring.

In the team competition, the Akron men lead the field holding a three-point advantage, 44-41, over second-place Eastern Michigan and third-place Central Michigan (31 points). The Zips' women's team finds itself in third place, four and two points back of Bowling Green (32 points) and Eastern Michigan (30 points), respectively.

In the midst of her run in the pentathlon, Siefring won the women's long jump with a winning mark of 19-11.50 (6.08m) on her third attempt. After fouling on her fourth and fifth attempts, Siefring was able to pass on her final try and win the competition after the field was unable to best her top mark.

Running away with her third consecutive indoor pentathlon title with a Perry Fieldhouse record score of 4,214 was Siefring. Registering a career-best second-place performance with a five-event total of 3,887 was senior Patricia Ortega (Logrono, Spain).

Ortega and Siefring opened the women's pentathlon finishing first and third, respectively, in the 60-meter hurdles crossing the line in 8.57 and 8.63.

The duo then each surpassed a career-high bar of 5-7 (1.70m) to tie for second place in the high jump.

In the shot put, Siefring and Ortega placed second and fourth with throws of 38-9.50 (11.82m) and 34-11.75 (10.66m).

Besting the competition in the long jump with a mark of 19-9 (6.02m) was Siefring, while Ortega jumped 17-8.25 (5.39m) to place third.

The Zips' duo finished off the pentathlon crossing the line first and second, respectively, in the 800 meters as Ortega and Siefring posted times of 2.22.53 and 2:23.64.

Sparked by a pair of second-place performances in the men's heptathlon, junior Kamar Majid (Akron, Ohio) finds himself ranked second after opening-day competition with a four-event cumulative score of 2,829. He trails Kent State's Isaac Agyemang by 105 points for the overall lead heading into Saturday's final three events.

Behind him in fifth and seventh place, respectively, is redshirt freshman Brandon Hochbein (Sarver, Pa.) and sophomore Dylan Hochbein (Sarver, Pa.) with four-event totals of 2,665 and 2,618.

Majid garnered a second-place effort to open the men's heptathlon in the 60 meters posting a career-best time of 7.15. Brandon Hochbein and Dylan Hochbein added times of 7.43 and 7.45 in the event.

Majid, Dylan Hochbein and Brandon Hochbein finished second, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the long jump registering marks of 22-5.75 (6.85m), 21-7.50 (6.59m) and 21-7.25 (6.58m), before Majid led the Zips' efforts in the shot put placing fourth with a throw of 37-8 (11.48m).

Majid and Brandon Hochbein closed out the opening day of the men's heptathlon finishing tied for fourth in the high jump with clearances of 6-0.75 (1.85m).

Winning his third league title in the men's pole vault with a facility-record mark of 18-2.50 (5.55m) was junior Matt Ludwig (Chardon, Ohio). He won the competition on his opening jump of the day eclipsing 17-0.75 (5.20m). Ludwig then cleared bars at 17-8.50 (5.40m) and 18-2.50 (5.55m) on his first runs at each respective height. He attempted to establish a new career-best indoor mark of 18-8.25 (5.70m), but was unable to surpass the height on his three runs at the height.

Coming up big with a pair of third-place performances in the men's pole vault with identical marks of 16-2.75 (4.95m) were redshirt sophomore Tyler Fraker (Delta, Ohio) and junior Cole Wigal (Belpre, Ohio).

Claiming his third career league championship and first in the indoor men's long jump was redshirt junior Jordan Latimer (Huber Heights, Ohio) with a winning mark of 25-2.50 (7.68m). Picking up key team points with a fourth-place finish in the event was senior Jamir Coleman (Lima, Ohio), who jumped 23-8.75 (7.23m).

Turning in a school-record time of 8.34 to win the qualifying round of the women's 60-meter hurdles was junior Dara Perry (Akron, Ohio). Adding a qualifying time of 8.56 to place seventh in the event was Ortega.

Recording a third-place effort in the men's weight throw was senior Phil Jagers (Solon, Ohio) with a throw of 62-8 (19.11m).

The men's distance medley relay squad of freshman Andre Bollam-Godbott (Brunswick, Ohio), redshirt sophomore Malik Hudson (Cleveland, Ohio) and seniors Nick Winkler (Wadsworth, Ohio) and Garrett Crichlow (Twinsburg, Ohio) crossed the line third in 10:17.15.

Recording the top qualifying time (48.37) in the men's 400 meters was freshman Noah Williams (Hilton, N.Y.).

Senior Taron Slone (Columbus, Ohio) advanced to the finals of the 200 and 60 meters with the third- and fifth-fastest times in qualifying action coming across the line in 21.69 and 6.83, respectively. Coleman earned the final qualifying spot in the men's 200 meters finishing seventh in 21.96.

Turning in the fourth- and seventh-fastest qualifying times in the men's 60-meter hurdles was redshirt sophomore Preston Fillman (Havoverton, Ohio) and redshirt freshman Patrick Kimball (Pittsburgh, Ohio). Fillman crossed the line in a career-best time of 8.10, while Kimball posted a time of 8.16 to advance to the final round.

Earning a berth in the finals of the men's 800 meters with a time of 1:55.10 was redshirt junior Tristan Williams (Akron, Ohio).

Sophomore Haley Hess (Curtice, Ohio) advanced to the finals of the women's 800 meters recording the fourth-best time of 2:11.91.

Competition resumes at the MAC Championship with the men's heptathlon 60-meter hurdles at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 23. Field events will start with the men's triple jump at 11 a.m. before action on the track begins at 1:30 p.m. with the men's mile.

MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS:
1) Akron (44 points), 2) Eastern Michigan (41), 3) Central Michigan (31), 4) Kent State (26), 5) Buffalo (12)

WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS:
1) Bowling Green (32 points), 2) Eastern Michigan (30), 3) Akron (28), 4) Western Michigan (23), 5) Kent State (22), 6) Buffalo (19), 7) Miami (12), 8) Northern Illinois (9), 9) Toledo (7), 10) Central Michigan (7), 11) Ohio (6), 12) Ball State (0)

FRIDAY MEN'S FINALS:
5,000 Meters: Jeremiah Fitzgerald (10th-16:06.22); Distance Medley Relay: Andre Bollam-Godbott, Malik Hudson, Nick Winkler, Garrett Crichlow (3rd-10:17.15); Pole Vault: Matt Ludwig (1st-18-2.50/5.55m), Tyler Fraker (3rd-16-2.75/4.95m), Cole Wigal (3rd-16-2.75/4.95m); Weight Throw: Phil Jagers (3rd-62-8/19.11m), Maurice Harris (7th-56-11/17.35m); Long Jump: Jordan Latimer (1st-25-2.50/7.68m), Jamir Coleman (4th-23-8.75/7.23m), Malik Hudson (7th-22-3/6.78m)

FRIDAY WOMEN'S FINALS:
Distance Medley Relay: Leah Recker, Bailey Lack, Victoria Stachowski, Lindsey Scarton, (10th-12:17.31); Long Jump: Jackie Siefring (1st-19-11.50/6.08m), Ariadna Ramos Gandia (19th-16-10.50/5.14m); Weight Throw: Emily Taylor (12th-54-4/16.57m), Olivia Snyder (17th-51-9/15.79m)

FRIDAY MEN'S PRELIMINARIES:
60-Meter Hurdles: Preston Fillman (4th-8.10*Q), Patrick Kimball (7th-8.16Q), Elijah Johnson (9th-8.27); 400 Meters: Noah Williams (1st-48.37Q), Milton Greer (9th-49.94); 60 Meters: Taron Slone (5th-6.83Q), Myron Jones (11th-7.08); 800 Meters: Tristan Williams (7th-1:55.10Q), Nick Winkler (10th-1:55.89), Steven Ashcraft (12th-1:56.71); 200 Meters: Taron Slone (3rd-21.69Q), Jamir Coleman (7th-21.96), Matt Blamble (12th-22.67)

FRIDAY WOMEN'S PRELIMINARIES:
60-Meter Hurdles: Dara Perry (1st-8.34*Q), Patricia Ortega (7th-8.56Q), Jackie Siefring (13th-8.79); 400 Meters: Bailey Lack (19th-58.18); 60 Meters: Stephanie Hale (19th-7.78); 800 Meters: Haley Hess (4th-2:11.91Q), Victoria Stachowski (11th-2:17.65), Leah Recker (12th-2:18.02); 200 Meters: Stephanie Hale (18th-25.66)

HEPTATHLON:
Kamar Majid (2nd-2,829), Brandon Hochbein (5th-2,665), Dylan Hochbein (9th-2,618); 60 Meters: Kamar Majid (2nd-7.15*), Brandon Hochbein (9th-7.43), Dylan Hochbein (10th-7.45); Long Jump: Kamar Majid (2nd-22-5.75/6.85m), Dylan Hochbein (4th-21-7.50/6.59m), Brandon Hochbein (5th-21-7.25/6.58m); Shot Put: Kamar Majid (4th-37-8/11.48m), Brandon Hochbein (7th-35-11.50/10.96m*), Dylan Hochbein (8th-35-0.50/10.68m); High Jump: Kamar Majid (4th-6-0.75/1.85m), Brandon Hochbein (4th-6-0.75/1.85m), Dylan Hochbein (7th-5-11.50/1.82m*)

PENTATHLON:
Jackie Siefring (1st-4,214), Patricia Ortega (2nd-3,887); 60-Meter Hurdles: Patricia Ortega (1st-8.57), Jackie Siefring (3rd-8.63); High Jump: Jackie Siefring (2nd-5-7/1.70m*), Patricia Ortega (2nd-5-7/1.70m*); Shot Put: Jackie Siefring (2nd-38-9.50/11.82m), Patricia Ortega (4th-34-11.75/10.66m); Long Jump: Jackie Siefring (1st-19-9/6.02m), Patricia Ortega (3rd-17-8.25/5.39m); 800 Meters: Patricia Ortega (1st-2:22.53), Jackie Siefring (2nd-2:23.64)

* Denotes a career-best mark