Akron Set for YSU Last Chance Invitational

Friday, February 13

Youngstown, Ohio

1:00 PM

University of Akron

Youngstown State Last Chance Invitational

February 12 | Track & Field

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron track and field team will compete at the Youngstown State Last Chance Invitational on Friday (Feb. 13).

UP NEXT: Akron is set to compete at the YSU Last Chance Invitational hosted by Youngstown State this Friday (Feb. 13).

Live stats from the YSU Last Chance Invitational will be available at GoZips.com.

BOES AND HIPPLE GARNER MAC WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS:
University of Akron junior Megan Hipple (Warren, Ohio) and redshirt senior Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) were recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its women's Track and Field Athletes of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Feb. 10).

Boes was honored as the MAC Field Athlete of the Week after capturing both the women's shot put and weight throw at the Doug Raymond Invitational this past weekend. She won the weight throw with a mark of 65-5 (19.94m), while besting the field in the shot put with a mark of 46-8.75 (14.24m). She leads the MAC in both events and is rated No. 33 and No. 42 in the NCAA in the weight throw and shot put.

Hipple was named the MAC Track Athlete of the Week on the strength of winning the women's 3,000 meters at the Windy City Invitational on the heels of running a school-record time of 9:17.94. It also marked the No. 2 effort in the MAC this season.

LAST TIME OUT:
Akron garnered a school record time of 9:17.94 in the women's 3,000 meters by Megan Hipple to highlight the efforts of the Zips at the Windy City Invitational and Doug Raymond Invitational on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 7-8).

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Hipple ran a school-record time of 9:17.94 to win the women's 3,000 meters.
• Freshman Noah Nyageo (Kitale, Kenya) ran the No. 5 time in indoor program history in the men's 3,000 meters to cross the line in 8:07.98 to place fifth.
• Redshirt senior Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) won the men's shot put with a mark of 59-2.75 (18.05m).
• Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) bested the field in the women's shot put with a mark of 46-8.75 (14.24m) and in the women's weight throw with a mark of 65-5 (19.94m).
• Redshirt senior Cassidy Allen (Lakewood, N.Y.) eclipsed 13-3.50 (4.05m) to win the women's pole vault.
• Redshirt sophomore Jeffrey Usman (Warri, Nigeria) and senior Trae Burns (Louisville, Ky.) went 1-2 in the men's long jump with marks of 23-8.25 (7.22m) and 23-4.75 (7.13m), respectively.
• Redshirt senior Lane Graham (Killbuck, Ohio) won the men's weight throw with a career-best throw of 66-3.25 (20.20m).
• Sophomore Kaden Rambatt (Sharon, Wis.) finished second in the men's pole vault eclipsing 16-7.50 (5.07m).
• Sophomore Sophia Spencer (Medina, Ohio) placed second in the women's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 18:37.71.
• Freshman Abigael Kiplagat (Eldama Ravine, Kenya) finished second in the women's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 16:35.76.
• Freshman Jackline Nanjala (Kitale, Kenya) placed second in the women's 400 meters in a career-best time of 54.19.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams has garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2025 indoor season as the Zips are rated among the Top 30 in the Event Squad rankings for eight events released on Feb. 10 2026, 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 rated 14th nationally in the men's shot put and in the men's pole vault, 15th in women's weight throw, 16th in women's 5,000 meters and in the women's shot put, 22nd in the women's pole vault, 26th in the men's weight throw and 30th for women's triple jump.

ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2026 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron has four individual student-athletes ranked in the Top 50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2026 indoor campaign as Cassidy Allen is 22nd in the women's pole vault (14-1.75/4.31m).

Additionally, Brook Boes is 33rd in the women's weight throw (65-0.75/19.83m) and 42nd in the women's shot put (52-2.75/15.92m), Owen Wendl is 43rd in the men's shot put (59-4.25/18.09m) and Megan Hipple is 44th in the women's 5,000 meters (15:53.23).

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 15 overall top five performances and a trio of school records in program history to the record book during the 2026 indoor campaign.

NAME	EVENT/DATE	RANK – MARK
AJ Jordan	Men's 200M – Dec. 12	No. 4 – 21.12
Vanessa Horn	Women's 400M – Dec. 12	No. 2 – 54.31
Megan Hipple	Women's 5,000M – Dec. 6	No. 1 – 16:15.66
Cassidy Allen	Women's Pole Vault – Dec. 12	No. 4 – 14-1.75 (4.30m)
Brook Boes	Women's Shot Put – Dec. 12	No. 4 – 52-2.75 (15.92m)
Brook Boes	Women's Weight Throw – Dec. 12	No. 5 – 65-0.75 (19.83m)
Cassidy Allen	Women's Pole Vault – Jan. 16	No. 4 – 14-1.75 (4.31m)
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – Jan. 23	No. 3 – 59-4.25 (18.09m)
Megan Hipple	Women's 5,000M – Jan. 30	No. 1 – 15:53.23
Noah Nyageo	Men's 5,000M – Jan. 30	No. 3 – 14:12.62
Vanessa Horn Mariyah Moore McKenzie McNitt Jackline Nanjala	Women's 4x400 Relay – Jan. 31	No. 1 – 3:41.04
Megan Hipple	Women's 3,000M – Feb. 7	No. 1 – 9:17.94
Noah Nyageo	Men's 3,000M – Feb. 7	No. 5 – 8:07.98
Lane Graham	Men's Weight Throw – Feb. 6	No. 4 – 66-3.25 (20.20m)
Abigael Kiplagat	Women's 5,000M – Feb. 6	No. 3 – 16:35.76