Success of Akron Track and Field Spurred by the Return of Stokowska

Success of Akron Track and Field Spurred by the Return of Stokowska

March 19 | Track & Field

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AKRON, Ohio - As the 2017 outdoor track and field campaign was coming to a close, University of Akron assistant track and field coach Dominika Stokowska was set to enter another chapter of her life with the impending birth of her first child.

A native of Lodz, Poland, Stokowska is known as a high-energy coach who tirelessly works to instill confidence in her student-athletes with attention to detail and technique.

Now in her 11th year on the Akron staff, Stokowska refused to back down on her coaching efforts throughout her pregnancy relentlessly continuing to mentor her pupils to achieve new heights.

The Zips had just captured the program's seventh men's and women's outdoor team titles at the 2017 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships in Kalamazoo, Mich. That year also marked the first time in program history in which Akron had swept the men's and women's team championships during both the indoor and outdoor campaigns.

Charged with leading the Zips' sprinters, hurdlers, and relay teams, Stokowska built a formidable squad that season as Hakeem Lawrence and Miles Baldwin won the men's 100- and 400-meter outdoor titles, while the men's 4x100 relay team of Lawrence, Baldwin, Joe Harrington, and Taron Slone also captured a league title.

Daziah Green took the title in the women's 100 meters, while finishing second in the 200 meters. Jackie Siefring also earned runner-up honors in the women's 400-meer hurdles.

The program was riding high as she and her husband, Tomasz Smialek, also an assistant coach with the Akron program, welcomed the birth of Alex in July of 2017.

She officially stepped away from her coaching position in October of 2017 to dedicate her efforts to raising her son. Although no longer a coach, her love of track and field kept her coming back as she was regularly seen around the Stile Athletics Field House throughout the 2018 and 2019 campaigns.

"I missed being around our student-athletes during those two years," said Stokowska. "Sitting on the sideline helping out as a volunteer was nice, but I was missing it too much and had to come back."

This is where Stokowska's ultimate return to coaching the Zips in the spring of 2019 spoke to the willingness of head track and field coach Dennis Mitchell, his staff and Akron's student-athletes to try something new and unique to the sport that brought a new definition to team and family.

When the Zips needed someone to assume the reigns of the sprinters, hurdlers, and relay squads in the spring of last year, Mitchell and Stokowska met to formulate a plan that would allow her to find a balance between coaching her student-athletes and being a mother of a nearly two-year old son.

What came out of those talks was a willingness by Mitchell for Stokowska to have Alex around the program to allow her to balance parenting with mentoring elite athletes that define the Akron program.

"Domo has always been a great coach for us," commented Mitchell. "She took that time off to have Alex, but we missed her, and we were so glad there was a way for her to come back and coach for us."

Stokowska has overseen the development of five All-Americans in Baldwin (4x100 - 2015 Outdoor), Dara Perry (100-Meter Hurdles - 2018 Outdoor), Julius Ruby (4x100 - 2015 Outdoor), D.J. Williamson (4x100 - 2015 Outdoor), and Anthony Young (4x100 - 2015 Outdoor) – while her student-athletes have captured 17 individual and nine relay MAC Championships since 2012.

"We had to do some experimenting, see what it would be like," said Mitchell. "This isn't an easy job, this is an extremely tough job, when you're an assistant coach in track and field, your event group can have like 20 student-athletes, it is like being a head coach. The time commitments, again this is a 24-7 type world we live in, can be intense, but everyone around has stepped up to take on this challenge and it has been going great."

"We were a little worried about the whole transition, but everybody I think likes Alex and the transition has gone well," said Stokowska.

The results of her return were evident as Akron swept the team titles at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted in Muncie, Ind.

Noah Williams (Rochester, N.Y.) was named the MAC's 2019 Men's Most Outstanding Track Co-Performer of the Meet on the strength of triumphs in the men's 400 meters as well as running legs on the victorious men's 4x100 and 4x400 relay squads. Williams crossed the line in the men's 400 meters in a school-record time of 45.72.

Patrick Kimball and Perry claimed the titles in the men's 110-meter and women's 100-meter hurdles, respectively.

The men's 4x100 relay team of Malcom Briley (Pickerington, Ohio), Williams, Amir Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Demetrius Jackson (Cleveland, Ohio) won in a season-best time of 40.39, while the Zips completed the sweep of the men's relays taking home the title in the men's 4x400 relay for only the second time in outdoor program history. The quartet of Garrett White (Cleveland Heights, Ohio), Zach Robinson, Sam Janson and Williams registered a come-from-behind victory in a season-best time of 3:12.00.

Another milestone occurred in June of 2019 as she and Tom became naturalized citizens of the United States.

"Becoming United States citizens was extremely import to our family as it gave us the world of security, freedom, and opportunities for the future of our son." said Stokowska. "We are extremely grateful to the University of Akron, athletic staff and Coach Mitchell for supporting us in the long process as they provided both of us with the education and multiple experiences that our family will forever be thankful for."

Grounded in a routine which had proven successful, the Zips continued to shine during the 2020 indoor campaign under Stokowska as Akron with Jackson and Williams setting school records in the 200 and 400 meters, respectively.

Stokowska's athletes scored 83.5 points between her five events (60-200-400-60H-4x400) at the MAC Indoor Championships, as well as a leg on the third-place distance medley relay team en route to her being named the MAC Men's Assistant Coach of the Year.

Jackson and Williams qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships in the men's 200 and 400 meters with the ninth- and 14th-fastest times in the NCAA in 2020.

The Zips' duo became only the second and third Akron sprinters to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships and first since LeShaunte Edwards earned All-America honors in the 100 and 200 meters in 2001.

All nine of her athletes scored a point at the MAC Championships, with Jackson being named the MAC Men's Track Performer of the Meet and Men's Freshman of the Year after winning the men's 60 and 200 meters (school-record time) and running on triumphant 4x400 relay.

"Domo is helping Alex and us out every day and last year she came back when she didn't have to and helped us, me and we love her," said Jackson. "She pushes us, helps us technique-wise and is very concerned with our health making sure we get treatment, she's a great coach."

Williams was tabbed the MAC Most Outstanding Track Performer earning the title in the men's 400 meters, while anchoring the 4x400 relay.

"Her coming back meant a lot to us, it really shows us how much she cares and how dedicated she is," said Williams. "I feel as athletes we have to be patient and understanding with her knowing that she is caring for Alex as well. I think it creates a fun environment and it has meant the world to us. She's dedicated her time and we see how much she cares about us so that makes us want to put in even that much more effort into it."

Additionally, the Zips scored more points than any other team in the 60 hurdles as Jace Roundtree (Vandergrift, Pa.), Elijah Johnson (Fremont, Ohio) and Kimball finished second, fourth, and fifth, respectively.

Williams broke the school record three times in the 400 meters in 2020 and set the school record in the 200 meters in the preliminary round of the MAC Championships, while Jackson twice set the school record for the 200 meters.

Following the 2020 indoor campaign, 20 of Stokowska's protégés own 12 combined indoor/outdoor Akron Track and Field school records.

"It shows that you can balance both coaching and parenting and make it work and be extremely successful," explained Mitchell. "I think that'll be something we will remember for years to come what we were able to do in this situation. Hopefully our kids will learn a great lesson about that as well."

"It is a wonderful feeling and I'm super fortunate to have such great group of young student-athletes that are capable of amazing things," said Stokowska. "It is thanks to them; they are working super hard and are dedicated and trusting me and it is amazing feeling to be on the top again."

The Zips are looking forward to the day in the near future when Stokowska can return to the track and continue to leave her mark on Akron track and field.