Akron Opens MAC Track and Field Championships Earning a Trio of Titles

Friday, February 25

Kent, Ohio

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Championships

Akron Opens MAC Track and Field Championships Earning a Trio of Titles

February 25 | Track & Field

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MAC CHAMPIONSHIPS - FRIDAY RESULTS (PDF) | FRIDAY RESULTS (HTML) | FRIDAY PHOTO GALLERY | HEAD COACH DENNIS MITCHELL COMMENTS | HESHAM ELDESOUKY COMMENTS | HUNTER GARRETSON COMMENTS | MEN'S DMR COMMENTS | MEET INFORMATION/SCHEDULE | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO

KENT, Ohio - The University of Akron men's and women's track and field teams collected a trio of titles to open the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Kent State on Friday, Feb. 25, at the Kent State Field House.

The Akron men's squad sits in second place in the team race after opening day competition with 47 points, five behind Eastern Michigan, while the Zips' women's team owns eight points to sit ninth in a tightly contested women's race.

Senior Hesham Eldesouky (Nasr City, Egypt) opened the day for the Zips earning his fourth career league title on the strength of a career-best mark of 24-9.25 (7.55m) in the men's long jump. His effort represents the fifth-best mark in indoor program history.

Freshman Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) collected Akron's second championship on the day establishing a season-best mark of 17-4.50 (5.30m) to garner his second career MAC title in the men's pole vault.

The men's distance medley relay team of sophomore Blake Lucius (Crestline, Ohio), freshman Jean Dieuvil (North Miami Beach, Fla.), redshirt junior Oliver Huffman (Augusta, Ga.) and senior Jacob Ondash (Hiram, Ohio) capped the evening for the Zips coming from behind to capture the league title in a time of 9:48.59, the fourth-fastest time in indoor program history.

The final day of the championship on Saturday, Feb. 26, kicks off with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon at 11:30 a.m. The first running event is slated to begin at 1:15 p.m. with the men's mile, before the meet wraps up with the women's 4x400 relay at 4:40 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).

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Junior Jacqueline Pokuaah (Akron, Ohio) placed third in the women's long jump with a career-best mark of 20-1.50 (6.13m*), while freshmen Fegor Clifford (Delta State, Nigeria) earned team points finishing eighth with a mark of 19-0.50 (5.80m). Pokuaah's performance equals the No. 4 mark in indoor program history.
• Sophomores Dimitrije Novakovic (Belgrade, Serbia) and Haruki Sakai (Katori, Japan) added team points finishing third and fifth, respectively, in the men's long jump with marks of 23-11.50 (7.30m) and 23-4.50 (7.12m).
• Sophomore Robert Artrip (Independence, Ohio) contributed team points placing fourth in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 15-9.25 (4.81m).
• Artrip and freshman Jacob Glavickas (Orwell, Ohio) posted four-event cumulative scores of 2,535 and 2.496 to sit in sixth and seventh place, respectively, after the opening day of the men's heptathlon.
• Junior Sara Foster (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) and freshman Grace Henderson (Rostraver Township, Pa.) posted five-event cumulative scores of 3,426 and 2,984 in the women's pentathlon.
• Freshman Elijah Humphrey (Akron, Ohio) earned a qualifying time of 8.51 to move into the finals in the men's 60-meter hurdles.
• Freshman Jimmy Harkelroad (Huron, Ohio) and redshirt sophomore Charles Sanders (Cincinnati, Ohio) posted the top-two qualifying times in the men's 400 meters crossing the line in 47.81 and 48.13, respectively.
• Sophomore Zarik Brown (Dayton, Ohio) registered the top-qualifying time in the men's 60 meters besting the field in 6.75.
• Lucius advanced to the finals of the men's 800 meters with a qualifying time of 1:56.49.
• Brown, Sanders and freshman Jack Weaver (Mt. Gilead, Ohio) moved into the finals in the men's 200 meters as the trio recorded times of 21.38, 21.73 and 22.02, respectively
• Pokuaah posted a career-best qualifying time of 8.66 to advance to the finals of the women's 60-meter hurdles.
• Senior Hannah Long (Pacific, Mo.) and freshman Beth Arentz (Cronulla, Australia) posted qualifying efforts of 4:59.73 and 5:00.01 to move into the finals of the women's mile.
• Clifford and Janay Bass (Akron, Ohio) qualified for the finals in the women's 400 meters crossing the line in 56.02 and 56.11, respectively.
• Junior Amya Clarke (Christ Church, St. Kitts and Nevis) registered the fastest-qualifying time, 7.48, in the women's 60 meters, while Pokuaah moved on to the final with a qualifying time of 7.69. Clarke later added the fastest time in qualifying in the women's 200 meters crossing the line in 24.33.
• Sophomore Makenna Heimlich (Shelby, Ohio) and senior Varvara Lissichkina (Karaganda, Kazahkstan) tallied the top-two qualifying times in the women's 800 meters racing across the tape in 2:11.47 and 2:12.08.

FRIDAY MEN'S RESULTS:
5,000 Meters: Kyle Stober (9th-16:34.62), Anthony Nichols (DNF); Distance Medley Relay: Blake Lucius, Jean Dieuvil, Oliver Huffman, Jacob Ondash (1st-9:48.59); Weight Throw: Milton Wilson (4th-65-0/19.83m), Jabari Neal-Jackson (6th-58-10/17.95m), Jacob Hutcherson (7th-57-10/17.64m*); Long Jump: Hesham Eldesouky (1st-24-9.25/7.55m*), Dimitrije Novakovic (3rd-23-11.50/7.30m), Haruki Sakai (5th-23-4.50/7.12m); Pole Vault: Hunter Garretson (1st-17-4.50/5.30m*), Robert Artrip (4th-15-9.25/4.81m)

FRIDAY WOMEN'S RESULTS:
5,000 Meters: Lindsey Scarton (10th-17:23.10), Danielle Honaker (23rd-18:26.65); Distance Medley Relay: Sophia Leto, Anna Altstadt, Maddie Heimlich, Mya Kizer (10th-12:35.39); Long Jump: Jacqueline Pokuaah (3rd-20-1.50/6.13m), Fegor Clifford (8th-19-0.50/5.80m), Kassandra Roemer (12th-18-0.25/5.49m)

FRIDAY MEN'S PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
60-Meter Hurdles: Elijah Humphrey (6th-8.51q), Jace Roundtree (DNF); 400 Meters: Jimmy Harkelroad (1st-47.81q), Charles Sanders (2nd-48.13q); 60 Meters: Zarik Brown (1st-6.75Q), Jack Weaver (8th-6.97q); 800 Meters: Blake Lucius (2nd-1:56.49Q), Colt Hemphill (8th-1:56.28q), Jean Dieuvil (7th-1:57.25); 200 Meters: Zarik Brown (1st-21.38q*), Charles Sanders (6th-21.73q), Jack Weaver (7th-22.02q)

FRIDAY WOMEN'S PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
60-Meter Hurdles: Jacqueline Pokuaah (8th-8.66q*), Adaeze Nwokike (10th-8.76*); Mile: Hannah Long (2nd-4:59.73Q), Beth Arentz (4th-5:00.01Q), Lizzy Gurko (16th-5:07.55); 400 Meters: Fegor Clifford (3rd-56.02q), Janay Bass (4th-56.11q*); 60 Meters: Amya Clarke (1st-7.48Q), Jacqueline Pokuaah (8th-7.69q); 800 Meters: Makenna Heimlich (1st-2:11.74Q), Varvara Lissichkina (2nd-2:12.08Q), Maddie Heimlich (9th-2:14.30*); 200 Meters: Amya Clarke (1st-24.33)

MEN'S HEPTATHLON RESULTS:
Robert Artrip (6th-2,535), Jacob Glavickas (7th-2,496); 60 Meters: Robert Artrip (4th-7.32*), Jacob Glavickas (6th-7.35); Long Jump: Jacob Glavickas (5th-20-5.75/6.24m), Robert Artrip (7th-19-4.75/5.91m); Shot Put: Robert Artrip (4th-40-11.75/12.49m), Jacob Glavickas (7th-34-1.50/10.40m*); High Jump: Jacob Glavickas (6th-5-8.75/1.75m), Robert Artrip (7th-5-7.75/1.72m*)

WOMEN'S PENTATHLON RESULTS:
Sara Foster (8th-3,426), Grace Henderson (14th-2,984); 60-Meter Hurdles: Sara Foster (11th-9.39), Grace Henderson (16th-10.42); High Jump: Sara Foster (5th-5-3.25/1.61m), Grace Henderson (14th-4-11.75/1.52m); Shot Put: Sara Foster (7th-33-10.75/10.33m*), Grace Henderson (13th-29-9.50/9.08m*); Long Jump: Sara Foster (11th-16-1.75/4.92m), Grace Henderson (14th-15-7.50/4.76m); 800 Meters: Sara Foster (5th-2:24.75), Grace Henderson (6th-2:26.33*)

* denotes career-best time
Q = denotes automatic qualifying time
q = denotes qualifying time