Strong Performances Headline Zips’ Efforts on Day One of MAC Championships

Friday, February 26

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Championships

Strong Performances Headline Zips’ Efforts on Day One of MAC Championships

February 26 | Track & Field

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MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS - FRIDAY RESULTS (PDF) | MEET INFORMATION | MEET SCHEDULE | ACCEPTED ENTRIES (PRELIMINARY) (PDF) | LIVE STATS | LIVE STREAM | MEN'S DAY ONE LIVE STREAM | WOMEN'S DAY ONE LIVE STREAM | MEN'S DAY TWO LIVE STREAM | WOMEN'S DAY TWO LIVE STREAM | PREVIEW

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The opening-day efforts of the University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday, Feb. 26, placed the Zips in prime position to vie for team titles when the league concludes the two-day championship on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Jack Skoog Indoor Track.

The Akron women's squad lead the field with 44 points, while the men's team sits in second place in the team race with 47 points, 11 behind Eastern Michigan.

In addition to a pair of MAC Championships on the line, the Zips are competing against Kent State in the final standings for two points in the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge. The series is tied 2.0-2.0 in the current standings.

"We are hanging in there staying strong," Akron head coach Dennis Mitchell commented. "We had some solid performances today, especially with the sweep and wins in the long jump, along with Hunter (Garretson) getting a big national-qualifying mark. It is difficult having both the men and women not competing together as we are a family. However, they are working in spirit together hoping to bring a trophy home on each of their buses."

Freshman Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) captured his first-ever league title winning the men's pole vault on the strength of a career-best clearance of 17-9.75 (5.43m). The mark represents the 10th-best mark in the NCAA this season.

The Zips also garnered points in the event with sophomores Robert Artrip (Independence, Ohio) and Sebastian Martin (Santiago, Chile) placing fourth and sixth, respectively, with marks of 15-11.25 (4.86m) and 14-6.25 (4.43m), respectively.

Akron claimed the top-three podium spots in the men's long jump with senior Hesham Eldesouky (Nasr City, Egypt) besting the field with a mark of 24-1.50 (7.35m) to win his second conference title. Sophomores Dimitrije Novakovic (Belgrade, Serbia) and Haruki Sakai (Katori, Japan) added marks of 23-9 (7.24m) and 23-7.50 (7.20m) to place second and third, respectively.

Senior Lindsey Scarton (Berea, Ohio) crossed the line in a career-best time of 17:18.42 to place third in the women's 5,000 meters. Her effort stands as the No. 5 time in indoor program history.

Having won the women's pentathlon at the 2020 MAC Indoor Championships and women's heptathlon at the 2019 MAC Outdoor Championships, junior Sara Foster (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) was vying for her third consecutive overall league title and second in the women's pentathlon.

In a back-and-forth competition, the outcome of the event came down to the fifth and final event of the night, the women's 800 meters. Foster posted the second-fastest time in the event, 2:19.96, but fell five points shy of the title with a five-event cumulative score of 3,540.

Senior Brandon Hochbein (Sarver, Pa.) and Artrip stand in fourth and sixth place in the men's heptathlon after opening-day competition with four-event cumulative scores of 2,855 and 2,506, respectively.

Junior Jacqueline Pokuaah (Akron, Ohio) earned her first league title outdistancing the field in the women's long jump with a career-best mark of 19-11 (6.07m).

Additionally, Pokuaah posted the top-qualifying time in the women's 60-meter hurdles with a career-best time of 8.64, while also advancing to the finals in the women's 60 meters crossing the line in 7.61. She will be joined in the final of the women's 60 meters by junior Amya Clarke (Christ Church, St. Kitts and Nevis), who registered a qualifying time of 7.64.

Redshirt junior Abby Helminiak (Toledo, Ohio) posted the top mark in the women's pole vault eclipsing 13-7.75 (4.16m), but placed second based on jumps, to earn second-team All-MAC honors for the third time.

Junior Kyra Keurentjes (Wehl, The Netherlands) and senior Leah Recker (Findlay, Ohio) will vie for the title in the women's 800 meters on the strength of qualifying times of 2:13.39 and 2:14.12.

Junior Amir Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) added the top-qualifying time in the men's 200 meters crossing the line in 21.73, while junior Malcom Briley (Pickerington, Ohio) also turned in a qualifying time of 22.37.

The Zips qualified seniors Jacob Ondash (Hiram, Ohio) and Steven Ashcraft (Canton, Ohio) and sophomore Blake Lucius (Crestline, Ohio) to the finals of the men's 800 meters with times of 1:56.85, 1:57.26 and 1:57.70.

The final day of the championship kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 27, with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon at 10:30 a.m. and the men's triple jump at 11 a.m. The first running event is slated to begin at 11:15 a.m. with the men's mile, before the men's meet wraps up with the men's 4x400 relay at 1:30 p.m. The women's triple jump begins the evening session at 4 p.m., before the women's mile is contested at 4:25 p.m. The women's 4x400 relay will conclude the championship at 6:30 p.m. For a complete schedule of events, log on to MAC-Sports.com. Live results (click here) will be available throughout the meet as well as live video (click here).

MEN'S TEAM SCORES:
1) Eastern Michigan (58), 2) Akron (47), 3) Kent State (31), 4) Buffalo (16)

WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES:
1) Akron (44), 2) Central Michigan (40), 3) Eastern Michigan (25), 4) Northern Illinois (24), 5) Kent State (23), 5), Miami (23), 7) Bowling Green (13), 8) Ohio (12), 9) Toledo (10), 10) Ball State (7), 10) Western Michigan (7), 12) Buffalo (6)

MEN'S FRIDAY FINAL RESULTS:
Distance Medley Relay: Jacob Ondash, Zarik Brown, Blake Lucius, Andre Bollam-Godbott (3rd-10:03.24); Pole Vault: Hunter Garretson (1st-17-9.75/5.43m*), Robert Artrip (4th-15-11.25/4.86m), Sebastian Martin (6th-14-6.25/4.43m); Long Jump: Hesham Eldesouky (1st-24-1.50/7.35m), Dimitrije Novakovic (2nd-23-9/7.24m), Haruki Sakai (3rd-23-7.50/7.20m*); Weight Throw: William Gross (5th-64-3/19.60m), Jabari Neal-Jackson (9th-54-1/16.48m)

WOMEN'S FRIDAY FINAL RESULTS:
5,000 Meters: Lindsey Scarton (3rd-17:18.42*); Distance Medley Relay: Hannah Long, Janay Bass, Kyra Keurentjes, Lizzy Gurko (6th-11:51.41); Pole Vault: Abby Helminiak (2nd-13-7.75/4.16m), Gabrielle McDaniel (8th-12-0/3.66m); Long Jump: Jacqueline Pokuaah (1st-19-11/6.07m*), Fegor Clifford (9th-18-5/5.61m*)

MEN'S FRIDAY PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
200 Meters: Amir Willis (1st-21.73), Malcom Briley (7th-22.37); 800 Meters: Jacob Ondash (1st-1:56.85), Steven Ashcraft (5th-1:57.26), Blake Lucius (7th-1:57.70)

WOMEN'S FRIDAY PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
60 Meters: Jacqueline Pokuaah (6th-7.61), Amya Clarke (8th-7.64), Anna Altstadt (20th-7.95*); 200 Meters: Amya Clarke (11th-25.23); 400 Meters: Janay Bass (10th-58.09); 800 Meters: Kyra Keurentjes (1st-2:13.39), Leah Recker (6th-2:14.12), Beth Arentz (12th-2:16.31); 60-Meter Hurdles: Jacqueline Pokuaah (1st-8.64*)

MEN'S HEPTATHLON RESULTS:
Brandon Hochbein (4th-2,855), Robert Artrip (6th-2,506); 60 Meters: Brandon Hochbein (3rd-7.26), Robert Artrip (5th-7.39); Long Jump: Brandon Hochbein (2nd-22-3.50/6.79m*), Robert Artrip (6th-20-5.00/6.22m*); Shot Put: Robert Artrip (5th-38-8.75/11.80m), Brandon Hochbein (6th-38-8.25/11.79m); High Jump: Brandon Hochbein (5th-6-2.25/1.89m), Robert Artrip (6th-5-6/1.68m)

WOMEN'S PENTATHLON RESULTS:
Sara Foster (2nd-3,540), Weronika Grzelak (6th-3,342); 60-Meter Hurdles: Sara Foster (6th-9.18), Weronika Grzelak (8th-9.26); High Jump: Sara Foster (6th-5-2.50/1.59m), Weronika Grzelak (7th-5-2.50/1.59m); Shot Put: Weronika Grzelak (2nd-35-3.75/10.76m), Sara Foster (5th-33-3/10.13m*); Long Jump: Weronika Grzelak (4th-17-2/5.23m), Sara Foster (7th-16-8/5.08m); 800 Meters: Sara Foster (2nd-2:19.96), Weronika Grzelak (9th-2:41.17*)

* denotes career-best mark