Akron Earns 14 League Titles to Close Out Efforts at MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships

Saturday, February 27

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Championships

Akron Earns 14 League Titles to Close Out Efforts at MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships

February 27 | Track & Field

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MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS - FINAL RESULTS (PDF) | 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 University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams culminated their performances at the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships on Saturday, Feb. 27, earning 14 league titles and a pair of second-place team finishes at the Jack Skoog Indoor Track.

Akron placed second in the men's field with 176 points, eight behind league champion Eastern Michigan. In the women's team race, the Zips registered 104 points, 17 points shy of first-time league champion Northern Illinois.

In addition, Akron won a pair of points against Kent State in the men's and women's team races in the Crystal Clinic Orthopaedic Center Wagon Wheel Challenge. The Zips now lead the series 4.0-2.0 in the current standings.

"I am so proud of our team's efforts," Akron head coach Dennis Mitchell commented. "They were taking on an obstacle after obstacle in the last year and just kept fighting back. We were close with both team. We tried to do it with quality, winning a bunch of events and ended up winning a lot of conference awards. We just did not have the depth, which usually has been our biggest strength in the past."

Junior Amir Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) was named the MAC's men's Co-Most Valuable Performer of the Meet on the strength of earning his third, fourth and fifth overall conference titles with triumphs in the men's 60 and 200 meters, as well as running the second leg on the winning 4x400 relay.

A year after garnering second-team All-MAC honors in the men's 60 meters, Willis elevated his status to a first-team honoree winning the event in a time of 6.76. He went on to triumph in the men's 200 meters crossing the line first in 21.48.

Junior Jacqueline Pokuaah (Akron, Ohio) capped a stellar weekend for the Zips being named the MAC's women's Most Valuable Performer of the Meet after capturing her second and third league titles with triumphs in the women's 60-meter hurdles and women's triple jump.

She opened her day winning the women's 60-meter hurdles in a career-low time of 8.59, before placing in the women's 60 meters in a time of 7.63. Pokuaah then culminated her indoor campaign registering the No. 4 mark in indoor program history with a mark of 40-9 (12.42m) to win the women's triple jump. A day earlier, she earned her first league title outdistancing the field in the women's long jump with a career-best mark of 19-11 (6.07m).

Freshman Beth Arentz (Cronulla, Australia) registered the No. 2 time in indoor program history in the women's 3,000 meters with a career-best time of 9:39.31 to place third. She also posted the fourth-fastest time in indoor program history in the women's mile with a career-low time of 4:49.69. The league's coaches rewarded her for her efforts naming her the women's Freshman Track Athlete of the Year.

A day after winning the men's long jump, senior Hesham Eldesouky (Nasr City, Egypt) bested the field in the men's triple jump with a mark of 51-10.50 (15.81m), the No. 19 effort in the NCAA this season.

Senior Brandon Hochbein (Sarver, Pa.) won his first MAC title in the men's heptathlon culminating the competition with a seven-event cumulative score of 5,245.

Sophomore Zarik Brown (Dayton, Ohio) claimed his second career MAC title in the men's 400 meters registering a winning time of 47.71.

Senior Patrick Kimball (Pittsburgh, Pa.) won his third career league title besting the field in the men's 60-meters in a season-low time of 8.00.

Junior Kyra Keurentjes (Wehl, The Netherlands) crossed the line first in the women's 800 meters in a time of 2:12.08 to post her first league title.

Sophomore Blake Lucius (Crestline, Ohio) triumphed in the men's 800 meters in a time of 1:53.75 to claim a conference championship for the first time as a Zip.

The 4x400 relay team of junior Malcom Briley (Pickerington, Ohio), Willis, sophomore Charles Sanders (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Brown defended Akron's title in the event on the strength of a time of 3:18.19.

Junior Nuh Andu (Doha, Qatar) recorded the second-best mark in indoor program history and No. 6 mark in the NCAA this season in the men's high jump eclipsing 7-2.25 (2.19m). He equaled the winning mark in the competition but earned second-team All-MAC accolades based on jumps in the event.

Akron assistant coach Dominika Stokowska saw her pupils dominate at the MAC Indoor Championships as the Zips claimed six conference championships in the men's 60 meters (Willis-6.76), men's 60-meter hurdles (Kimball-8.00), women's 60-meter hurdles (Pokuaah-8.59), men's 200 meters (Willis-21.48), men's 400 meters (Brown-47.71) and the men's 4x400 relay (Briley, Willis, Sanders, Brown-3:18.19).

A trio of Zips are in prime position to earn a berth into the upcoming NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., when the field is announced later this week as Andu, freshman Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) and Eldesouky stand sixth, 10th and 19th, respectively, in the men's high jump, pole vault and triple jump. The top-16 marks in each event qualify for the championships.

Garretson was tabbed as the men's Freshman Field Athlete of the Year after besting the field in the men's pole vault on Friday, Feb. 27, with a career-best clearance of 17-9.75 (5.43m).

MEN'S TEAM SCORES:
1) Eastern Michigan (184), 2) Akron (176), 3) Kent State (97), 4) Buffalo (64)

WOMEN'S TEAM SCORES:
1) Northern Illinois (121), 2) Akron (104), 3) Bowling Green (86), 4) Central Michigan (60), 5) Eastern Michigan (59), 6) Kent State (51), 7) Miami (49), 8) Ball State (29), 9) Toledo (20), 10) Buffalo (17), 11) Western Michigan (16), 12) Ohio (12)

MEN'S SATURDAY FINAL RESULTS:
Mile: Andre Bollam-Godbott (3rd-4:13.13), Jacob Ondash (4th-4:14.08), Oliver Huffman (7th-4:18.64*); 60-Meter Hurdles: Patrick Kimball (1st-8.00), Jace Roundtree (4th-8.13); 400 Meters: Zarik Brown (1st-47.71), Charles Sanders (5th-50.66), Marquis Evans (6th-50.96); 60 Meters: Amir Willis (1st-6.76), Malcom Briley (5th-6.93); 800 Meters: Blake Lucius (1st-1:53.75), Jacob Ondash (4th-1:56.47), Steven Ashcraft (8th-1:58.56); 200 Meters: Amir Willis (1st-21.48), Malcom Briley (6th-22.35); 3,000 Meters: Andre Bollam-Godbott (10th-8:57.95), Jacob Ondash (11th-9:17.42); 4x400 Relay: Malcom Briley, Amir Willis, Charles Sanders, Zarik Brown (1st-3:18.19); High Jump: Nuh Andu (2nd-7-2.25/2.19m*); Shot Put: Davis Hedrick (3rd-51-1/15.59m), Jacob Hutcherson (5th-50-0/15.26m), Jabari Neal-Jackson (8th-46-9/14.25m); Triple Jump: Hesham Eldesouky (1st-51-10.50/15.81m), Dimitrije Novakovic (3rd-49-0.75/14.95m), Caleb Mabins (5th-47-1.50/14.36*)

WOMEN'S SATURDAY FINAL RESULTS:
Mile: Beth Arentz (3rd-4:49.69*), Lizzy Gurko (9th-5:02.31), Lindsey Scarton (13th-5:04.56); 60-Meter Hurdles: Jacqueline Pokuaah (1st-8.59*); 60 Meters: Amya Clarke (5th-7.58*), Jacqueline Pokuaah (7th-7.63); 800 Meters: Kyra Keurentjes (1st-2:12.08), Leah Recker (5th-2:13.77); 3,000 Meters: Beth Arentz (3rd-9:39.31*), Lindsey Scarton (13th-10:02.09); 4x400 Relay: Janay Bass, Sara Foster, Kyra Keurentjes, Fegor Clifford (6th-3:53.95); High Jump: Sara Foster (10th-5-3/1.60m), Weronika Grzelak (12th-5-3/1.60m), Carlyn Zahner (12th-5-3/1.60m); Triple Jump: Jacqueline Pokuaah (1st-40-9/12.42m*), Zoi Balamouti (6th-39-8.50/12.10m), Fegor Clifford (7th-38-11/11.86m)

MEN'S HEPTATHLON RESULTS:
Brandon Hochbein (1st-5,245), Robert Artrip (6th-4,357*); 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): 60-Meter Hurdles: Brandon Hochbein (4th-8.34), Robert Artrip (6th-10.13): Pole Vault: Robert Artrip (1st-15-9/4.80m), Brandon Hochbein (2nd-15-1/4.60m); 1,000 Meters: Brandon Hochbein (2nd-2:56.22), Robert Artrip (6th-3:19.59*)

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*)

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