The University of Akron Athletics
Friday, February 5
Akron, Ohio
University of Akron
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17th Annual Akron Invitational
Zips Set to Host 17th Annual Akron Invitational - Celebrating Diversity
February 04 | Track & Field
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AKRON INVITATIONAL - MEET INFORMATION (PDF) | MEET SCHEDULE (PDF) | ACCEPTED ENTRIES | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | PREVIEW
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams hosts its largest meet of the season as the Zips welcome six teams to the Stile Athletics Field House for the 17th Annual Akron Invitational this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6.
UP NEXT: The two-day Akron Invitational will commence at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5 with the women's high jump, pole vault and weight throw, before running events get underway at 5 p.m. with the 60 meters as part of the men's heptathlon.
The final day of the meet commences on Saturday, Feb. 6, with the women's triple jump at noon, as well as the start of the women's pentathlon. The final race, the women's 800 meters as part of the pentathlon is scheduled to start at 3:45 p.m.
The Zips will go against a six-team field which includes; Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami, Texas State and Western Michigan
Live stats from the Akron Invitational will be available at GoZips.com.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams has garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2021 indoor season as the Zips are rated in the Event Squad rankings released on Feb. 1, 2021 as part of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field National Rating Index.
Akron is ranked seventh nationally in the men's weight throw and among the top 20 in four different events.
The Zips also rated 10th in the men's pole vault, 14th in the men's long jump and 16th in the women's 800 meters.
The Akron men and women rank fifth and 11th, respectively, in the Great Lakes Regional polls.
The Zips' men's squad ranked No. 4 in the final Collegiate Indoor Dual Meet Rankings in 2020 as compiled by Jesse Squire for Track and Field News.
ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2021 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron has a trio of student-athletes ranked in the top-25 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) during the 2021 indoor campaign, including junior Nuh Andu (Doha, Qatar), who is 14th in the nation in the men's high jump (7-0.25/2.14m).
Also rated among the top-25 is freshman Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) (21st in the men's pole Vault – 17-0.75/5.20m) and redshirt junior Abby Helminiak (Toledo, Ohio) (25th in the women's pole Vault – 13-4.25/4.07m)
CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: Redshirt junior Milton Wilson (Streetsboro, Ohio) recorded the fifth-best mark in indoor history in the men's weight throw en route to placing second in the event with a mark of 63-9 (19.45m) at the Akron Triangle on Jan. 22.
A WEEK AGO: The University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams garnered 16 victories as part of 36 overall top-three performances as the Zips captured the Akron Triangle at the Stile Athletics Field House on Jan. 22.
The Zips bested the field in the men's competition as Akron registered 118.50 points to edge Kent State (105.50) and Buffalo (55). In the women's field, the Zips led the field with 111 points, followed by Kent State (109) and Buffalo (64).
For the second week in a row, junior Jacqueline Pokuaah Akron, Ohio) won the women's long jump with a mark of 19-6.25 (5.95m). Pokuahh later took first in the women's 200 meters in a time of 25.48, while freshman Janay Bass (Akron, Ohio) crossed the line second in a career-best time of 25.93.
Freshman Beth Arentz (Cronulla, Australia) and junior Kyra Keurentjes (Wehl, The Netherlands) claimed the top-two finishes in the women's mile recording career-best times of 4:51.07 and 5:13.22, respectively.
Arentz doubled up winning the women's 800 meters in a career-best time of 2:14.81, while senior Hannah Long (Pacific, Mo.) crossed the line second in a career-best time of 2:17.12.
Nuh Andu bested the field in the men's high jump with a clearance of 7-0.25 (2.14m), the 14th-best mark in the NCAA this season.
Abby Helminiak captured the women's pole vault with a season-best clearance of 13-4.25 (4.07m).
In the men's pole vault, Hunter Garretson finished first eclipsing 16-0 (4.88m), while senior Brandon Hochbein (Sarver, Pa.) posted a career-best clearance of 15-6.25 (4.73m) to place second.
Redshirt junior Milton Wilson (Streetsboro, Ohio) recorded the fifth-best mark in indoor history in the men's weight throw en route to placing second in the event with a mark of 63-9 (19.45m).
Senior Lindsey Scarton (Berea, Ohio) garnered the victory in the women's 3,000 meters crossing the line in 10:22.78.
Sophomore Dimitrije Novakovic (Belgrade, Serbia) and freshman Christian Mayfield (University Heights, Ohio) garnered the top-two spots in the men's long jump registering marks of 23-7.50 (7.20m) and 23-0.75 (7.03m), respectively.
Sophomore Zarik Brown (Dayton, Ohio) won the men's 400 meters in a time of 48.53, while Bass and freshman Sage Harmon (Bloomsburg, Pa.) posted career-best times of 58.22 and 60.17 to take the top-two spots in the women's 400 meters.
Senior Jacob Ondash (Hiram, Ohio) won the men's 800 meters in a career-best time of 1:54.82, while junior Oliver Huffman (Augusta, Ga.) crossed the line second in 1:55.51.
Sophomore Caleb Mabins (Erie, Pa.) took the men's triple jump with a mark of 45-10.50 (13.98m), while junior Zoi Balamouti (Heraklion, Greece) finished first in the women's triple jump with a mark of 37-9.50 (11.52m).
Sophomore Blake Lucius (Crestline, Ohio) placed second in the men's mile with a career-best time of 4:16.36, while junior Jacob Hutcherson (Uniontown, Ohio) finished second in the men's shot put with a career-best throw of 50-7.25 (15.42m).
The men's 4x400 relay team of freshman Jameel Williamson (Columbus, Ohio), junior Malcom Briley (Pickerington, Ohio), senior Andrew Wahl (Northfield, Ohio) and Brown posted the victory in a time of 3:18.69.
The women's 4x400 relay squad of Long, Harmon, junior Sara Foster (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and Keurentjes bested the field in a time of 3:59.62.
A YEAR AGO: Lucy Bryan registered a school- and Mid-American Conference-record mark of 14-9.50 (4.51m) to triumph in the women's pole vault to highlight the Zips' performances on the final day of the 16th Annual Akron Invitational on Feb. 8, 2020, at the Stile Athletics Field House.
Akron finished the weekend posting an impressive 13 victories as part of 46 overall top-five efforts.
Bryan's mark bested her own school-record mark of 14-8 (4.47m) set at the 2018 Akron Invitational on Feb. 3, 2018. Abby Helminiak placed third in the event with a clearance of 13-1.50 (4.00m).
Noah Williams posted the then fourth-fastest time in indoor program history in the men's 200 meters crossing the line second in a time of 21.27.
Brandon Hochbein captured the men's heptathlon registering a career-best score of 5,041.
Senior Matt Keim (Bollivar, Ohio) established a career-best clearance of 17-1.50 (5.22m) to earn the victory in the men's pole vault.
Nuh Andu won the men's high jump with a clearance of 6-11.75 (2.13m).
Senior Varvara Lissichkina (Karaganda Kazkhstan) earned the victory in the women's 800 meters in a time of 2:10.45.
The men's 4x400 relay team of Demetrius Jackson, Williams, junior Amir Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) and redshirt junior Garrett White (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) bested the field in a time of 3:13.56.
Dimitrije Novakovic finished second in the men's long jump on the strength of a mark of 24-4.25 (7.42m).
Junior Lizzy Gurko (Northfield, Ohio) and senior Leah Recker (Findlay, Ohio) finished first and second, respectively, in the women's blue division 800 meters crossing the line in 2:13.55 and 2:13.95.
Sophomore William Gross (Newfane, N.Y.) won the men's blue division weight throw with a career-best mark of 59-0 (18.00m).
Sara Foster captured the women's pentathlon title with a personal-best five-event cumulative score of 3,528.
On the strength of a time of 2:23.81 in the 800 meters, Foster catapulted herself into the victory in the pentathlon. She placed second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.21, before finishing third in the high jump with a mark of 5-3 (1.60m).
Foster added a mark of 30-9 (9.37m) in the shot put before registering a mark of 17-8 (5.38m) to place first in the long jump.
Turning in career-best times of 14:32.96 and 14:37.52 to finish first and second, respectively, in the men's 5,000 meters was senior Andre Bollam-Godbott (Brunswick, Ohio) and Nick Stricklen.
On the strength of career-best marks of 22-10.75 (6.98m) and 22-5 (6.83m), senior Jayce Shaffer (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and sophomore Haruki Sakai (Katori, Japan) took the top-two spots in the men's long jump.
The men's distance medley relay squad of Blake Lucius, senior Steven Ashcraft (Canton, Ohio), Jacob Ondash and Oliver Huffman crossed the line first in 10:16.51.
TOP MARKS:
Akron Men
Click Here
Akron Women
Click Here
AKRON INVITATIONAL - MEET INFORMATION (PDF) | MEET SCHEDULE (PDF) | ACCEPTED ENTRIES | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO | PREVIEW
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams hosts its largest meet of the season as the Zips welcome six teams to the Stile Athletics Field House for the 17th Annual Akron Invitational this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 5-6.
UP NEXT: The two-day Akron Invitational will commence at 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 5 with the women's high jump, pole vault and weight throw, before running events get underway at 5 p.m. with the 60 meters as part of the men's heptathlon.
The final day of the meet commences on Saturday, Feb. 6, with the women's triple jump at noon, as well as the start of the women's pentathlon. The final race, the women's 800 meters as part of the pentathlon is scheduled to start at 3:45 p.m.
The Zips will go against a six-team field which includes; Akron, Buffalo, Kent State, Miami, Texas State and Western Michigan
Live stats from the Akron Invitational will be available at GoZips.com.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams has garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2021 indoor season as the Zips are rated in the Event Squad rankings released on Feb. 1, 2021 as part of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I Indoor Track & Field National Rating Index.
Akron is ranked seventh nationally in the men's weight throw and among the top 20 in four different events.
The Zips also rated 10th in the men's pole vault, 14th in the men's long jump and 16th in the women's 800 meters.
The Akron men and women rank fifth and 11th, respectively, in the Great Lakes Regional polls.
The Zips' men's squad ranked No. 4 in the final Collegiate Indoor Dual Meet Rankings in 2020 as compiled by Jesse Squire for Track and Field News.
ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2021 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron has a trio of student-athletes ranked in the top-25 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) during the 2021 indoor campaign, including junior Nuh Andu (Doha, Qatar), who is 14th in the nation in the men's high jump (7-0.25/2.14m).
Also rated among the top-25 is freshman Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) (21st in the men's pole Vault – 17-0.75/5.20m) and redshirt junior Abby Helminiak (Toledo, Ohio) (25th in the women's pole Vault – 13-4.25/4.07m)
CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: Redshirt junior Milton Wilson (Streetsboro, Ohio) recorded the fifth-best mark in indoor history in the men's weight throw en route to placing second in the event with a mark of 63-9 (19.45m) at the Akron Triangle on Jan. 22.
A WEEK AGO: The University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams garnered 16 victories as part of 36 overall top-three performances as the Zips captured the Akron Triangle at the Stile Athletics Field House on Jan. 22.
The Zips bested the field in the men's competition as Akron registered 118.50 points to edge Kent State (105.50) and Buffalo (55). In the women's field, the Zips led the field with 111 points, followed by Kent State (109) and Buffalo (64).
For the second week in a row, junior Jacqueline Pokuaah Akron, Ohio) won the women's long jump with a mark of 19-6.25 (5.95m). Pokuahh later took first in the women's 200 meters in a time of 25.48, while freshman Janay Bass (Akron, Ohio) crossed the line second in a career-best time of 25.93.
Freshman Beth Arentz (Cronulla, Australia) and junior Kyra Keurentjes (Wehl, The Netherlands) claimed the top-two finishes in the women's mile recording career-best times of 4:51.07 and 5:13.22, respectively.
Arentz doubled up winning the women's 800 meters in a career-best time of 2:14.81, while senior Hannah Long (Pacific, Mo.) crossed the line second in a career-best time of 2:17.12.
Nuh Andu bested the field in the men's high jump with a clearance of 7-0.25 (2.14m), the 14th-best mark in the NCAA this season.
Abby Helminiak captured the women's pole vault with a season-best clearance of 13-4.25 (4.07m).
In the men's pole vault, Hunter Garretson finished first eclipsing 16-0 (4.88m), while senior Brandon Hochbein (Sarver, Pa.) posted a career-best clearance of 15-6.25 (4.73m) to place second.
Redshirt junior Milton Wilson (Streetsboro, Ohio) recorded the fifth-best mark in indoor history in the men's weight throw en route to placing second in the event with a mark of 63-9 (19.45m).
Senior Lindsey Scarton (Berea, Ohio) garnered the victory in the women's 3,000 meters crossing the line in 10:22.78.
Sophomore Dimitrije Novakovic (Belgrade, Serbia) and freshman Christian Mayfield (University Heights, Ohio) garnered the top-two spots in the men's long jump registering marks of 23-7.50 (7.20m) and 23-0.75 (7.03m), respectively.
Sophomore Zarik Brown (Dayton, Ohio) won the men's 400 meters in a time of 48.53, while Bass and freshman Sage Harmon (Bloomsburg, Pa.) posted career-best times of 58.22 and 60.17 to take the top-two spots in the women's 400 meters.
Senior Jacob Ondash (Hiram, Ohio) won the men's 800 meters in a career-best time of 1:54.82, while junior Oliver Huffman (Augusta, Ga.) crossed the line second in 1:55.51.
Sophomore Caleb Mabins (Erie, Pa.) took the men's triple jump with a mark of 45-10.50 (13.98m), while junior Zoi Balamouti (Heraklion, Greece) finished first in the women's triple jump with a mark of 37-9.50 (11.52m).
Sophomore Blake Lucius (Crestline, Ohio) placed second in the men's mile with a career-best time of 4:16.36, while junior Jacob Hutcherson (Uniontown, Ohio) finished second in the men's shot put with a career-best throw of 50-7.25 (15.42m).
The men's 4x400 relay team of freshman Jameel Williamson (Columbus, Ohio), junior Malcom Briley (Pickerington, Ohio), senior Andrew Wahl (Northfield, Ohio) and Brown posted the victory in a time of 3:18.69.
The women's 4x400 relay squad of Long, Harmon, junior Sara Foster (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and Keurentjes bested the field in a time of 3:59.62.
A YEAR AGO: Lucy Bryan registered a school- and Mid-American Conference-record mark of 14-9.50 (4.51m) to triumph in the women's pole vault to highlight the Zips' performances on the final day of the 16th Annual Akron Invitational on Feb. 8, 2020, at the Stile Athletics Field House.
Akron finished the weekend posting an impressive 13 victories as part of 46 overall top-five efforts.
Bryan's mark bested her own school-record mark of 14-8 (4.47m) set at the 2018 Akron Invitational on Feb. 3, 2018. Abby Helminiak placed third in the event with a clearance of 13-1.50 (4.00m).
Noah Williams posted the then fourth-fastest time in indoor program history in the men's 200 meters crossing the line second in a time of 21.27.
Brandon Hochbein captured the men's heptathlon registering a career-best score of 5,041.
Senior Matt Keim (Bollivar, Ohio) established a career-best clearance of 17-1.50 (5.22m) to earn the victory in the men's pole vault.
Nuh Andu won the men's high jump with a clearance of 6-11.75 (2.13m).
Senior Varvara Lissichkina (Karaganda Kazkhstan) earned the victory in the women's 800 meters in a time of 2:10.45.
The men's 4x400 relay team of Demetrius Jackson, Williams, junior Amir Willis (Cincinnati, Ohio) and redshirt junior Garrett White (Cleveland Heights, Ohio) bested the field in a time of 3:13.56.
Dimitrije Novakovic finished second in the men's long jump on the strength of a mark of 24-4.25 (7.42m).
Junior Lizzy Gurko (Northfield, Ohio) and senior Leah Recker (Findlay, Ohio) finished first and second, respectively, in the women's blue division 800 meters crossing the line in 2:13.55 and 2:13.95.
Sophomore William Gross (Newfane, N.Y.) won the men's blue division weight throw with a career-best mark of 59-0 (18.00m).
Sara Foster captured the women's pentathlon title with a personal-best five-event cumulative score of 3,528.
On the strength of a time of 2:23.81 in the 800 meters, Foster catapulted herself into the victory in the pentathlon. She placed second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.21, before finishing third in the high jump with a mark of 5-3 (1.60m).
Foster added a mark of 30-9 (9.37m) in the shot put before registering a mark of 17-8 (5.38m) to place first in the long jump.
Turning in career-best times of 14:32.96 and 14:37.52 to finish first and second, respectively, in the men's 5,000 meters was senior Andre Bollam-Godbott (Brunswick, Ohio) and Nick Stricklen.
On the strength of career-best marks of 22-10.75 (6.98m) and 22-5 (6.83m), senior Jayce Shaffer (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and sophomore Haruki Sakai (Katori, Japan) took the top-two spots in the men's long jump.
The men's distance medley relay squad of Blake Lucius, senior Steven Ashcraft (Canton, Ohio), Jacob Ondash and Oliver Huffman crossed the line first in 10:16.51.
TOP MARKS:
Akron Men
Click Here
Akron Women
Click Here
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