The University of Akron Athletics
Friday, January 31
Akron, Ohio
3:30 PM
University of Akron
vs
21st Annual Akron Invitational
Zips Host 21st Annual Akron Invitational
January 30 | Track & Field
AKRON INVITATIONAL: MEET INFORMATION (PDF) | LIVE RESULTS
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's and women's track and field is set to host the 21st annual Akron Invitational on Friday (Jan. 31) at the Stile Athletics Field House.
DIGITAL TICKETING: Mobile tickets are available for $10 at www.GoZips.com/tickets and must be purchased in advance. Mobile ticketing will be utilized for all home Akron track and field meets this season. Akron students with valid ID will be admitted free of charge. All fans should enter through the Akron student recreation center main entrance. Doors will open to the public at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
PARKING UPDATE: Akron track and field fans are encouraged to park in Lot 6, 9 and 10 (Surrounding the Field House off Vine and Union Streets) for Friday's track and field meet. Parking in other lots without appropriate UA permit is subject to ticketing by parking services.
UP NEXT: Akron welcomes Capital, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Hillsdale, Lawrence Tech, Mount Union, North Park, Ohio, Robert Morris, Toledo, Walsh and West Virginia State to the Stile Athletics Field House on Friday (Jan. 31).
The 32-event meet will commence with the men's 5,000 meters at 3:30 p.m. before the meet concludes with the women's DMR relay at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Live stats of the Akron Invitational will be available at GoZips.com.
A WEEK AGO: Akron captured three victories as part of 19 overall top five performances across a trio of meets for the Zips on Saturday (Jan. 25).
Akron competed at the Bob Parks Memorial in Ypsilanti, Mich., the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Va., and the Notre Dame Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind.
• Redshirt senior Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) registered an NCAA-leading mark of 18-10.25 (5.75m) to win the men's pole vault at the Hokie Invitational. The effort stands as the No. 3 mark in the world in 2025 and equals the No. 3 performance in indoor program history.
• Sophomore Mary Munga (Nyandarua, Kenya) recorded the fifth-fastest mile time in indoor program history crossing the line in 4:50.08 at the Notre Dame Invitational.
• Redshirt senior Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) won the women's weight throw with a mark of 60-11 (18.58m) at the Bob Parks Memorial.
• Freshman Rukia Omulisia (Nairobi, Kenya) captured the women's 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.61.
• Junior Kemari Robinson (Indianapolis, Ind.) placed second in the men's 200 meters in a time of 22.15.
• Senior Kaira Granger (Bedford, Ohio) crossed the line in 7.72 to finish second in the women's 60 meters.
• Freshman Isaac Baltic (Medina, Ohio) eclipsed 15-5 (4.70m) to finish second in the men's pole vault
• Sophomore Jessica Mason (Holland, Ohio) garnered runner-up accolades in the women's pole vault with a career-best mark of 12-4.75 (3.78m).
AKRON DUO EARNS MAC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES: Brook Boes and Hunter Garretson were honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Women's and Men's Field Athletes of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Jan. 28).
Boes won the women's weight throw with a mark of 60-11 (18.58m) at the Bob Parks Memorial. She owns the top mark in the MAC in the event this season and No. 44 effort in the NCAA. Additionally, she placed third in the women's shot put with a mark of 45-3.75 (13.81m).
Garretson captured the men's pole vault title at the Hokie Invitational with an NCAA-leading mark of 18-10-25 (5.75m). His performance stands as the third-best clearance in the world in 2025 and as the No. 3 mark in Akron indoor program history.
GARRETSON HONORED AS MAC MEN'S SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hunter Garretson was honored as the Mid-American Conference Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Week the league announced on Jan. 22.
Garretson equaled the top mark in the elite men's pole vault competition at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 17 eclipsing a career-best indoor clearance of 18-10.50 (5.75m). The third-best mark in indoor program history represents the top effort by a collegian in 2025 and the No. 3 mark in the world. He finished third overall in the competition based on jumps.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have 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 four events released on Jan. 28, 2025, 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 15th nationally in the women's weight throw, 16th in the men's shot put, 27th in the men's 400 meters and 28th in the men's weight throw
ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2024 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron have four individual student-athletes ranked in the top-50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2025 indoor campaign, including, Hunter Garretson, who is first in the nation in the men's pole vault (18-10.25/5.75m).
Additionally, Brook Boes is 44th in the women's weight throw (64-7/19.68m).
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 was 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.
CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 12 overall top-five performances and one school record in program history to the record book during the 2025 indoor campaign.
TOP MARKS:
Akron Men
Click Here
Akron Women
Click Here
AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's and women's track and field is set to host the 21st annual Akron Invitational on Friday (Jan. 31) at the Stile Athletics Field House.
DIGITAL TICKETING: Mobile tickets are available for $10 at www.GoZips.com/tickets and must be purchased in advance. Mobile ticketing will be utilized for all home Akron track and field meets this season. Akron students with valid ID will be admitted free of charge. All fans should enter through the Akron student recreation center main entrance. Doors will open to the public at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.
PARKING UPDATE: Akron track and field fans are encouraged to park in Lot 6, 9 and 10 (Surrounding the Field House off Vine and Union Streets) for Friday's track and field meet. Parking in other lots without appropriate UA permit is subject to ticketing by parking services.
UP NEXT: Akron welcomes Capital, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Hillsdale, Lawrence Tech, Mount Union, North Park, Ohio, Robert Morris, Toledo, Walsh and West Virginia State to the Stile Athletics Field House on Friday (Jan. 31).
The 32-event meet will commence with the men's 5,000 meters at 3:30 p.m. before the meet concludes with the women's DMR relay at approximately 7:45 p.m.
Live stats of the Akron Invitational will be available at GoZips.com.
A WEEK AGO: Akron captured three victories as part of 19 overall top five performances across a trio of meets for the Zips on Saturday (Jan. 25).
Akron competed at the Bob Parks Memorial in Ypsilanti, Mich., the Hokie Invitational in Blacksburg, Va., and the Notre Dame Invitational in Notre Dame, Ind.
• Redshirt senior Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) registered an NCAA-leading mark of 18-10.25 (5.75m) to win the men's pole vault at the Hokie Invitational. The effort stands as the No. 3 mark in the world in 2025 and equals the No. 3 performance in indoor program history.
• Sophomore Mary Munga (Nyandarua, Kenya) recorded the fifth-fastest mile time in indoor program history crossing the line in 4:50.08 at the Notre Dame Invitational.
• Redshirt senior Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) won the women's weight throw with a mark of 60-11 (18.58m) at the Bob Parks Memorial.
• Freshman Rukia Omulisia (Nairobi, Kenya) captured the women's 60-meter hurdles in a time of 8.61.
• Junior Kemari Robinson (Indianapolis, Ind.) placed second in the men's 200 meters in a time of 22.15.
• Senior Kaira Granger (Bedford, Ohio) crossed the line in 7.72 to finish second in the women's 60 meters.
• Freshman Isaac Baltic (Medina, Ohio) eclipsed 15-5 (4.70m) to finish second in the men's pole vault
• Sophomore Jessica Mason (Holland, Ohio) garnered runner-up accolades in the women's pole vault with a career-best mark of 12-4.75 (3.78m).
AKRON DUO EARNS MAC ATHLETE OF THE WEEK ACCOLADES: Brook Boes and Hunter Garretson were honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Women's and Men's Field Athletes of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Jan. 28).
Boes won the women's weight throw with a mark of 60-11 (18.58m) at the Bob Parks Memorial. She owns the top mark in the MAC in the event this season and No. 44 effort in the NCAA. Additionally, she placed third in the women's shot put with a mark of 45-3.75 (13.81m).
Garretson captured the men's pole vault title at the Hokie Invitational with an NCAA-leading mark of 18-10-25 (5.75m). His performance stands as the third-best clearance in the world in 2025 and as the No. 3 mark in Akron indoor program history.
GARRETSON HONORED AS MAC MEN'S SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Hunter Garretson was honored as the Mid-American Conference Men's Scholar-Athlete of the Week the league announced on Jan. 22.
Garretson equaled the top mark in the elite men's pole vault competition at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev., on Jan. 17 eclipsing a career-best indoor clearance of 18-10.50 (5.75m). The third-best mark in indoor program history represents the top effort by a collegian in 2025 and the No. 3 mark in the world. He finished third overall in the competition based on jumps.
NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have 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 four events released on Jan. 28, 2025, 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 15th nationally in the women's weight throw, 16th in the men's shot put, 27th in the men's 400 meters and 28th in the men's weight throw
ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2024 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron have four individual student-athletes ranked in the top-50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2025 indoor campaign, including, Hunter Garretson, who is first in the nation in the men's pole vault (18-10.25/5.75m).
Additionally, Brook Boes is 44th in the women's weight throw (64-7/19.68m).
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 was 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.
CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 12 overall top-five performances and one school record in program history to the record book during the 2025 indoor campaign.
| NAME | EVENT/DATE | RANK – MARK |
| Keegan Digby | Shot Put – Dec. 6 | No. 5 – 57-6.25 (17.53m) |
| Brook Boes | Weight Throw – Dec. 6 | No. 5 – 64-7 (19.68m) |
| Joy Nwokike | Women's 400M – Dec. 6 | No. 3 – 54.97 |
| Joy Nwokike | Women's 200M – Dec. 6 | No. 4 – 24.09 |
| Joy Nwokike | Women's 200M – Jan. 10 | No. 2 – 23.94 |
| Joy Nwokike | Women's 400M – Jan. 11 | No. 3 – 54.56 |
| Joy Nwokike | Women's 200M – Jan. 17 | No. 1 – 23.79 |
| Joy Nwokike | Women's 400M – Jan. 17 | No. 3 – 54.46 |
| Bismack Kipchirchir | Men's 3,000M – Jan. 17 | No. 4 – 8:08.57 |
| Hunter Garretson | Men's Pole Vault – Jan. 17 | No. 3 – 18-10.50 (5.75m) |
| Keegan Digby | Men's Shot Put – Jan. 17 | No. 5 – 58-3.25 (17.76m) |
| Mary Munga | Women's Mile – Jan. 25 | No. 5 – 4:50.08 |
TOP MARKS:
Akron Men
Click Here
Akron Women
Click Here
Players Mentioned
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Throws
/ Track & Field
Multis
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Pole Vault
/ Track & Field
Distance
/ Track & Field
Sprints
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track & Field
Sprints/Hurdles
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