The University of Akron Athletics

Akron Track - Jackline, Nanjala, Owen Wendl and Gabrielle Griffiths
Akron Trio Garners MAC Track and Field Athlete of the Week Honors
April 07 | Track & Field
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES OF THE WEEK RELEASE
CLEVELAND, Ohio - University of Akron redshirt seniors Gabrielle Griffiths (Fort Worth, Texas) and Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) along with freshman Jackline Nanjala (Kitale, Kenya) were recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its Track and Field Athletes of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (April 7).
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Wendl and Griffiths were tabbed the men's and women's Field Athletes of the Week, while Nanjala garnered women's Track Athlete of the Week honors.
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Griffiths won the javelin at the Wooster Invitational with a throw of 140-1 (42.71m), while also placing second in the hammer throw with a career-best mark of 194-3 (59.21m). Her mark in the hammer throw leads the MAC and ranks 50th in the NCAA this season.
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Nanjala delivered a standout performance at the Florida Relays, posting a career-best time of 52.87 in the 400 meters. Her effort ranks No. 2 in program history, leads the league and sits 39th in the NCAA this season. She also anchored Akron's record-breaking 4x400 relay team that clocked 3:37.05, the top time in the MAC and No. 35 nationally.
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Wendl delivered another record-breaking performance at the Wooster Invitational, winning both the shot put and discus. He surpassed his own school record in the shot put with a mark of 62-0.50 (18.91m), which leads the MAC and ranks 13th in the NCAA this season, while also posting a league-leading discus throw of 184-0 (56.09m), ranking 43rd nationally.
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The Zips return to competition this week hosting the Northeast Ohio Open at the Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex on Thursday and Friday (April 9-10).
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CLEVELAND, Ohio - University of Akron redshirt seniors Gabrielle Griffiths (Fort Worth, Texas) and Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) along with freshman Jackline Nanjala (Kitale, Kenya) were recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its Track and Field Athletes of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (April 7).
Â
Wendl and Griffiths were tabbed the men's and women's Field Athletes of the Week, while Nanjala garnered women's Track Athlete of the Week honors.
Â
Griffiths won the javelin at the Wooster Invitational with a throw of 140-1 (42.71m), while also placing second in the hammer throw with a career-best mark of 194-3 (59.21m). Her mark in the hammer throw leads the MAC and ranks 50th in the NCAA this season.
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Nanjala delivered a standout performance at the Florida Relays, posting a career-best time of 52.87 in the 400 meters. Her effort ranks No. 2 in program history, leads the league and sits 39th in the NCAA this season. She also anchored Akron's record-breaking 4x400 relay team that clocked 3:37.05, the top time in the MAC and No. 35 nationally.
Â
Wendl delivered another record-breaking performance at the Wooster Invitational, winning both the shot put and discus. He surpassed his own school record in the shot put with a mark of 62-0.50 (18.91m), which leads the MAC and ranks 13th in the NCAA this season, while also posting a league-leading discus throw of 184-0 (56.09m), ranking 43rd nationally.
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The Zips return to competition this week hosting the Northeast Ohio Open at the Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex on Thursday and Friday (April 9-10).
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