The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Set for NCAA East Preliminary Round Championships
May 20 | Track & Field
NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUND CHAMPIONSHIPS: MEET INFORMATION | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | LIVE STATS | LIVE VIDEO (WEDNESDAY) | LIVE VIDEO (THURSDAY) | LIVE VIDEO (FRIDAY) | LIVE VIDEO (SATURDAY)
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron Track and Field program is set for breakout performances at the NCAA East Preliminary Round Track and Field Championships this weekend as the Zips will be represented by nine student-athletes at the four-day event hosted by the University of Kentucky from Wednesday through Saturday, May 22-25 in Lexington, Ky.
The meet, which invites the region's top 48 athletes in each event, serves as the opening round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The top-12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA's in Eugene, Ore., from June 5-8. The NCAA West prelims will be held in Fayetteville, Ark., at the same time.
The Zips will be represented by eight men and one woman at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Lexington, Ky., this weekend.
Competing for Akron on the women's side will be junior Joy Nwokike (Benin City, Nigeria) (400 Meters – 7:25 p.m., Thursday; 200 Meters – 8:45 p.m., Thursday).
AKRON WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS (Qualifying Rank-Qualifying Mark):
Joy Nwokike – 200 Meters (No. 39 – 23.42), 400 Meters (No. 40 – 53.48)
Taking part in the men's competition for the Zips will be sophomore Tysean Baronette (Middletown, Dela.) (200 Meters – 8:45 p.m., Wednesday), redshirt junior Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) (Pole Vault – 6:30 p.m., Wednesday), junior Lane Graham (Killbuck, Ohio) (Hammer – 10 a.m., Wednesday), redshirt junior Jimmy Harkelroad (Huron, Ohio) (400-Meter Hurdles – 8:20 p.m., Wednesday), sophomore Brian Masai (Kitale, Kenya) (5,000 Meters – 8:10 p.m., Friday), redshirt senior Jabari Neal-Jackson (Cincinnati, Ohio) (Hammer – 10 a.m., Wednesday), freshman Andrew Styles (Freeport, Bahamas) (200 Meters – 8:45 p.m., Wednesday) and redshirt sophomore Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) (Discus – 1 p.m., Friday).
AKRON MEN'S QUALIFIERS (Qualifying Rank-Qualifying Mark):
Tysean Baronette – 200 Meters (No. 17 – 20.46); Hunter Garretson – Pole Vault (No. 1 – 19-1.50/5.83m); Lane Graham – Hammer (No. 34 – 206-5/62.92m); Jimmy Harkelroad – 400-Meter Hurdles (No. 23 – 50.78); Brian Masai – 5,000 Meters (No. 6 – 13:34.26); Jabari Neal-Jackson – Hammer (No. 27 – 209-8/63.90m); Andrew Styles – 200 Meters (No. 44 – 20.76); Owen Wendl – discus (No. 38 – 180-9/55.11m).
NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUND MEET SCHEDULE: The NCAA East Preliminary Round meet begins at 10 a.m. at Kentucky Track and Field Complex on the campus of the University of Kentucky, on Wednesday, May 22, with the start of the men's hammer. Running events kick off with the men's 110-meter hurdle preliminaries at 6 p.m., and conclude with the running of the men's 10,000 meters at 9:10 p.m.
The second day opens with the women's hammer at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Running events begin with the preliminary round of the women's 100-meter hurdles at 6 p.m. The women's 10,000 meters closes out the day's action at 9:10 p.m.
The third day commences with the men's discus at 1 p.m. on Friday before actions gets underway on the track with the quarterfinals of the men's 4x100 relay at 5 p.m. The quarterfinals of the men's 4x400 relay caps the men's competition at 8:45 p.m.
The final day of the championship kicks off with the women's discus at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The first running event is slated to begin at 5 p.m. with the quarterfinals of the women's 4x100 relay before the meet draws to a close with the women's 4x400 relay quarterfinals at 8:45 p.m.
For a complete schedule of events, log on to ncaa.com. Live results (click here) will be available throughout the meet as well as live video (click here).
Wednesday, May 22
10 a.m. – Lane Graham, Jabari Neal-Jackson (Men's Hammer – First Round)
6:30 p.m. – Hunter Garretson (Men's Pole Vault – First Round)
8:20 p.m. – Jimmy Harkelroad (Men's 400-Meter Hurdles – First Round)
8:45 p.m. – Tysean Baronette, Andrew Styles (Men's 200 Meters – First Round)
Thursday, May 23
7:25 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 400 Meters – First Round)
8:45 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 200 Meters – First Round)
Friday, May 24
1 p.m. – Owen Wendl (Men's Discus – First Round)
7:25 p.m. – Jimmy Harkelroad (Men's 400-Meter Hurdles – Quarterfinal Round)
7:50 p.m. – Tysean Baronette, Andrew Styles (Men's 200 Meters – Quarterfinal Round)
8:10 p.m. – Brian Masai (Men's 5,000 Meters – Semifinal Round)
Saturday, May 25
6:50 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 400 Meters – Quarterfinal Round)
7:50 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 200 Meters – Quarterfinal Round)
For the complete list of entries, please log on to NCAA.com.
NCAA CHAMPIONS: Akron's entries will be looking to add to the tradition of the Zips' track and field program, which already includes nine individual national champions. Christi Smith made history in 2000 when she became the first national champion in school history, capturing gold in the heptathlon. Stevi Large was the next to accomplish the feat, winning the women's hammer throw in 2009. Annika Roloff captured the women's pole vault in 2014. Shawn Barber became the school's first male champion claiming the indoor pole vault title in 2014 before again earning the crown at the 2015 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Clayton Murphy became Akron's first-ever NCAA champion in a running event winning the indoor 800 meters and outdoor 1,500 meters in 2016. In 2017, Matt Ludwig claimed the national title in the men's pole vault.
TOP TIMES IN THE MAC: The Zips have registered 11 overall top performances in the Mid-American Conference during the outdoor campaign.
Outdoor
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2024 outdoor season as the Zips are rated among the top-30 in the Event Squad rankings released on May 14, 2024, as part of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index.
Akron is rated 19th nationally in the men's hammer and shot put, No. 23 in the men's 200 meters and No. 24 in the men's discus.
Additionally, the Zips are rated No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region in men's 200 meters, No.2 in men's discus, No. 3 in men's hammer and No. 4 in men's shot put.
ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2024 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron has four student-athletes ranked in the top-50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2024 outdoor campaign, including, Hunter Garretson, who is first in the nation in the men's pole vault (19-1.50/5.83m).
Additionally, Brian Masai is ranked 19th in the men's 5,000 meters (13:34.26), Tysean Baronette is 31st in the men's 200 meters (20.46) and Jimmy Harkelroad is rated 42nd in the men's 400-meter hurdles (50.78).
GARRETSON NAMED ELITE 90 WINNER: Hunter Garretson was the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2024 NCAA Division Men's Track and Field Indoor Championship.
Garretson, who is majoring in mathematics, boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA, was presented with the award during a presentation on March 8.
Winning the honor for the second consecutive season, Garretson became only the third multiple-time recipient of the award in Division I men's track and field joining Cincinnati's Adrian Valles (2017-Indoor | 2018-Indoor) and Nebraska's John Welk (2013-Outdoor | 2014-Outdoor).
The honor is the third time a Zip has garnered the distinguished honor joining Tyler Sanda, who won the award as a member of the Akron men's soccer team in 2015.
NWOKIKE NAMED MAC MOST OUTSTANDING WOMEN'S TRACK PERFORMER: Akron's Joy Nwokike was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its 2024 Outdoor Track and Field Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Year, the league unveiled on May 15.
Nwokike captured a pair of league titles at the 2024 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships (May 9-11) winning the women's 200 meters and 400 meters. She capped her weekend performances running the anchor leg on the runner-up 4x400 relay that established a school-record time of 3:39.10.
Additionally, Nwokike helped the Zips score points running the anchor leg on the 4x100 relay that placed sixth.
After running on the 4x100 relay to open the day, Nwokike posted a school-record and career-best time of 53.48 en route to triumphing in the 400 meters. She followed with a career-best mark of 23.42 to win in a photo finish in the 200 meters.
GARRETSON AND MASAI NAMED MAC MOST OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS: Hunter Garretson and Brian Masai were honored by the Mid-American Conference as its 2024 Indoor Track and Field Men's Most Outstanding Track and Field Performers of the Year, the league unveiled on Feb. 28.
Garretson captured his sixth career MAC title besting the field in the men's pole vault with a mark of 18-2 (5.53m). He owns the No. 2 mark in the NCAA this season in the pole vault with a mark of 18-9.25 (5.72m) set at the Al Campbell Invitational on Feb. 16.
Masai claimed a pair of league titles winning the men's mile and 3,000 meters in times of 4:07.77 and 8:12.57, respectively, while running the anchor leg of the fourth-place distance medley relay squad. He set a school-record time of 8:02.50 in the 3,000 meters at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on Feb. 10.
CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 15 overall top-five performance in program history to the record book during the 2024 outdoor campaign, including five school-record efforts. Additionally, Akron posted 10 top-five marks during the indoor season.
Outdoor
Indoor
TOP MARKS:
Akron Men
Click Here
Akron Women
Click Here
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron Track and Field program is set for breakout performances at the NCAA East Preliminary Round Track and Field Championships this weekend as the Zips will be represented by nine student-athletes at the four-day event hosted by the University of Kentucky from Wednesday through Saturday, May 22-25 in Lexington, Ky.
The meet, which invites the region's top 48 athletes in each event, serves as the opening round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The top-12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAA's in Eugene, Ore., from June 5-8. The NCAA West prelims will be held in Fayetteville, Ark., at the same time.
The Zips will be represented by eight men and one woman at the NCAA East Preliminary Round in Lexington, Ky., this weekend.
Competing for Akron on the women's side will be junior Joy Nwokike (Benin City, Nigeria) (400 Meters – 7:25 p.m., Thursday; 200 Meters – 8:45 p.m., Thursday).
AKRON WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS (Qualifying Rank-Qualifying Mark):
Joy Nwokike – 200 Meters (No. 39 – 23.42), 400 Meters (No. 40 – 53.48)
Taking part in the men's competition for the Zips will be sophomore Tysean Baronette (Middletown, Dela.) (200 Meters – 8:45 p.m., Wednesday), redshirt junior Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) (Pole Vault – 6:30 p.m., Wednesday), junior Lane Graham (Killbuck, Ohio) (Hammer – 10 a.m., Wednesday), redshirt junior Jimmy Harkelroad (Huron, Ohio) (400-Meter Hurdles – 8:20 p.m., Wednesday), sophomore Brian Masai (Kitale, Kenya) (5,000 Meters – 8:10 p.m., Friday), redshirt senior Jabari Neal-Jackson (Cincinnati, Ohio) (Hammer – 10 a.m., Wednesday), freshman Andrew Styles (Freeport, Bahamas) (200 Meters – 8:45 p.m., Wednesday) and redshirt sophomore Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) (Discus – 1 p.m., Friday).
AKRON MEN'S QUALIFIERS (Qualifying Rank-Qualifying Mark):
Tysean Baronette – 200 Meters (No. 17 – 20.46); Hunter Garretson – Pole Vault (No. 1 – 19-1.50/5.83m); Lane Graham – Hammer (No. 34 – 206-5/62.92m); Jimmy Harkelroad – 400-Meter Hurdles (No. 23 – 50.78); Brian Masai – 5,000 Meters (No. 6 – 13:34.26); Jabari Neal-Jackson – Hammer (No. 27 – 209-8/63.90m); Andrew Styles – 200 Meters (No. 44 – 20.76); Owen Wendl – discus (No. 38 – 180-9/55.11m).
NCAA EAST PRELIMINARY ROUND MEET SCHEDULE: The NCAA East Preliminary Round meet begins at 10 a.m. at Kentucky Track and Field Complex on the campus of the University of Kentucky, on Wednesday, May 22, with the start of the men's hammer. Running events kick off with the men's 110-meter hurdle preliminaries at 6 p.m., and conclude with the running of the men's 10,000 meters at 9:10 p.m.
The second day opens with the women's hammer at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Running events begin with the preliminary round of the women's 100-meter hurdles at 6 p.m. The women's 10,000 meters closes out the day's action at 9:10 p.m.
The third day commences with the men's discus at 1 p.m. on Friday before actions gets underway on the track with the quarterfinals of the men's 4x100 relay at 5 p.m. The quarterfinals of the men's 4x400 relay caps the men's competition at 8:45 p.m.
The final day of the championship kicks off with the women's discus at 1 p.m. on Saturday. The first running event is slated to begin at 5 p.m. with the quarterfinals of the women's 4x100 relay before the meet draws to a close with the women's 4x400 relay quarterfinals at 8:45 p.m.
For a complete schedule of events, log on to ncaa.com. Live results (click here) will be available throughout the meet as well as live video (click here).
Wednesday, May 22
10 a.m. – Lane Graham, Jabari Neal-Jackson (Men's Hammer – First Round)
6:30 p.m. – Hunter Garretson (Men's Pole Vault – First Round)
8:20 p.m. – Jimmy Harkelroad (Men's 400-Meter Hurdles – First Round)
8:45 p.m. – Tysean Baronette, Andrew Styles (Men's 200 Meters – First Round)
Thursday, May 23
7:25 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 400 Meters – First Round)
8:45 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 200 Meters – First Round)
Friday, May 24
1 p.m. – Owen Wendl (Men's Discus – First Round)
7:25 p.m. – Jimmy Harkelroad (Men's 400-Meter Hurdles – Quarterfinal Round)
7:50 p.m. – Tysean Baronette, Andrew Styles (Men's 200 Meters – Quarterfinal Round)
8:10 p.m. – Brian Masai (Men's 5,000 Meters – Semifinal Round)
Saturday, May 25
6:50 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 400 Meters – Quarterfinal Round)
7:50 p.m. – Joy Nwokike (Women's 200 Meters – Quarterfinal Round)
For the complete list of entries, please log on to NCAA.com.
NCAA CHAMPIONS: Akron's entries will be looking to add to the tradition of the Zips' track and field program, which already includes nine individual national champions. Christi Smith made history in 2000 when she became the first national champion in school history, capturing gold in the heptathlon. Stevi Large was the next to accomplish the feat, winning the women's hammer throw in 2009. Annika Roloff captured the women's pole vault in 2014. Shawn Barber became the school's first male champion claiming the indoor pole vault title in 2014 before again earning the crown at the 2015 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Clayton Murphy became Akron's first-ever NCAA champion in a running event winning the indoor 800 meters and outdoor 1,500 meters in 2016. In 2017, Matt Ludwig claimed the national title in the men's pole vault.
TOP TIMES IN THE MAC: The Zips have registered 11 overall top performances in the Mid-American Conference during the outdoor campaign.
Outdoor
NAME | EVENT/DATE | RANK – MARK |
Tysean Baronette | Men's 200 Meters – April 27 | No. 1 – 20.46 |
Timothy Chesondin | Men's 10,000 Meters – April 25 | No. 1 – 29:30.20 |
Hunter Garretson | Men's Pole Vault – March 27 | No. 1 – 19-1.50 (5.83m) |
Jimmy Harkelroad | Men's 400M Hurdles – May 11 | No. 1 – 50.78 |
Brian Masai | Men's 5,000 Meters – March 28 | No. 1 – 13:34.26 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 200 Meters – May 11 | No. 1 – 23.42 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 400 Meters – May 11 | No. 1 – 53.48 |
Charles Sanders | Men's 400 Meters – April 12 | No. 1 – 46.84 |
Owen Wendl | Men's Discus – May 11 | No. 1 – 180-10 (55.11m) |
Braylyn Farrington Charles Sanders Andrew Styles Jimmy Harkelroad |
Men's 4x400 Relay – May 11 | No. 1 – 3:09.32 |
Vanessa Horn Jamari Davis Janay Bass Joy Nwokike |
Women's 4x400 Relay – May 11 | No. 1 – 3:39.10 |
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2024 outdoor season as the Zips are rated among the top-30 in the Event Squad rankings released on May 14, 2024, as part of the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field National Rating Index.
Akron is rated 19th nationally in the men's hammer and shot put, No. 23 in the men's 200 meters and No. 24 in the men's discus.
Additionally, the Zips are rated No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region in men's 200 meters, No.2 in men's discus, No. 3 in men's hammer and No. 4 in men's shot put.
ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2024 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron has four student-athletes ranked in the top-50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2024 outdoor campaign, including, Hunter Garretson, who is first in the nation in the men's pole vault (19-1.50/5.83m).
Additionally, Brian Masai is ranked 19th in the men's 5,000 meters (13:34.26), Tysean Baronette is 31st in the men's 200 meters (20.46) and Jimmy Harkelroad is rated 42nd in the men's 400-meter hurdles (50.78).
GARRETSON NAMED ELITE 90 WINNER: Hunter Garretson was the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2024 NCAA Division Men's Track and Field Indoor Championship.
Garretson, who is majoring in mathematics, boasts a perfect 4.0 GPA, was presented with the award during a presentation on March 8.
Winning the honor for the second consecutive season, Garretson became only the third multiple-time recipient of the award in Division I men's track and field joining Cincinnati's Adrian Valles (2017-Indoor | 2018-Indoor) and Nebraska's John Welk (2013-Outdoor | 2014-Outdoor).
The honor is the third time a Zip has garnered the distinguished honor joining Tyler Sanda, who won the award as a member of the Akron men's soccer team in 2015.
NWOKIKE NAMED MAC MOST OUTSTANDING WOMEN'S TRACK PERFORMER: Akron's Joy Nwokike was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its 2024 Outdoor Track and Field Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Year, the league unveiled on May 15.
Nwokike captured a pair of league titles at the 2024 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships (May 9-11) winning the women's 200 meters and 400 meters. She capped her weekend performances running the anchor leg on the runner-up 4x400 relay that established a school-record time of 3:39.10.
Additionally, Nwokike helped the Zips score points running the anchor leg on the 4x100 relay that placed sixth.
After running on the 4x100 relay to open the day, Nwokike posted a school-record and career-best time of 53.48 en route to triumphing in the 400 meters. She followed with a career-best mark of 23.42 to win in a photo finish in the 200 meters.
GARRETSON AND MASAI NAMED MAC MOST OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS: Hunter Garretson and Brian Masai were honored by the Mid-American Conference as its 2024 Indoor Track and Field Men's Most Outstanding Track and Field Performers of the Year, the league unveiled on Feb. 28.
Garretson captured his sixth career MAC title besting the field in the men's pole vault with a mark of 18-2 (5.53m). He owns the No. 2 mark in the NCAA this season in the pole vault with a mark of 18-9.25 (5.72m) set at the Al Campbell Invitational on Feb. 16.
Masai claimed a pair of league titles winning the men's mile and 3,000 meters in times of 4:07.77 and 8:12.57, respectively, while running the anchor leg of the fourth-place distance medley relay squad. He set a school-record time of 8:02.50 in the 3,000 meters at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational on Feb. 10.
CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 15 overall top-five performance in program history to the record book during the 2024 outdoor campaign, including five school-record efforts. Additionally, Akron posted 10 top-five marks during the indoor season.
Outdoor
NAME | EVENT/DATE | RANK – MARK |
Brian Masai | Men's 5,000M – March 28 | No. 1 – 13:34.26 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 400M – March 30 | No. 1 – 54.00 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 400M – April 20 | No. 1 – 53.53 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 400M – May 11 | No. 1 – 53.48 |
Vanessa Horn Jamari Davis Janay Bass Joy Nwokike |
Women's 4x400 Relay – May 11 | No. 1 – 3:39.10 |
Hunter Garretson | Men's Pole Vault – March 30 | No. 2 – 19-1.50 (5.83m) |
Sharon Chepchirchir | Women's 10,000M – March 29 | No. 2 – 35:05.70 |
Timothy Chesondin | Men's 10,000M – April 11 | No. 2 – 29:40.36 |
Timothy Chesondin | Men's 10,000M – April 25 | No. 2 – 29:30.20 |
Sharon Chepchirchir | Women's 5,000M – April 12 | No. 3 – 16:34.80 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 200M – April 20 | No. 3 – 23.44 |
Tysean Baronette | Men's 200M – April 27 | No. 3 – 20.46 |
Brian Masai | Men's 1,500M – April 25 | No. 3 – 3:44.26 |
Lane Graham | Men's Hammer – March 30 | No. 5 – 206-5 (62.92m) |
Owen Wendl | Men's Discus – May 11 | No. 5 – 180-9 (55.11m) |
Indoor
NAME | EVENT/DATE | RANK – MARK |
Jabari Neal-Jackson | Weight Throw – Jan. 19 | No. 4 – 65-8 (20.03m) |
Titus Kirui, Braylyn Farrington, Jean Dieuvil, Brian Masai | Men's DMR – Jan. 27 | No. 2 – 9:43.92 |
Vanessa Horn, Jamari Davis, Jade Celestine, Adaeze Nwokike | Women's 4x400 Relay – Jan. 27 | No. 3 – 3:44.78 |
Sharon Chepchirchir | Women's 5,000M – Jan. 27 | No. 3 – 16:57.32 |
Hunter Garretson | Pole Vault – Feb. 16 | No. 3 – 18-9.25 (5.72m) |
Brian Masai | Men's 3,000M – Feb. 10 | No. 1 – 4:02.50 |
Vanessa Horn, Jamari Davis, Jade Celestine, Joy Nwokike | Women's 4x400 Relay – Feb. 10 | No. 2 – 3:42.84 |
Charles Sanders, Andrew Styles, AJ Jordan, Jimmy Harkelroad | Men's 4x400 Relay – Feb. 10 | No. 5 – 3:11.34 |
Sharon Chepchirchir | Women's 5,000M – Feb. 23 | No. 1 – 16:42.31 |
Joy Nwokike | Women's 60M – Feb. 24 | No. 3 – 7.45 |
TOP MARKS:
Akron Men
Click Here
Akron Women
Click Here
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