Akron Captures MAC Men's Indoor Track and Field Title

Saturday, March 1

Ypsialnti, Mich.

10:00 AM

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships

Akron Captures MAC Men's Indoor Track and Field Title

March 01 | Track & Field

Photo Gallery

MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS: FINAL RESULTS (PDF) | SATURDAY PHOTO GALLERY | FRIDAY RESULTS (PDF) | FRIDAY PHOTO GALLERY | MEET INFORMATION | SCHEDULE OF EVENTS | LIVE RESULTS

YPSILANTI, Mich. – The University of Akron men's track and field team captured its first Mid-American Conference Indoor Track and Field championship since 2020 and ninth overall at the MAC Championships on Saturday (March 1) at Bowen Field House.

The Zips edged rival Kent State by 11 points to earn the men's league crown, while the Akron women's squad garnered a runner-up finish, 16 points shy of conference champion Bowling Green.

Akron Director of Track and Field/Cross Country Kendra Reimer-Gonzales was honored as the league's Men's Coach of the Year.

Freshman Bismack Kipchirchir (Eldame Ravine, Kenya) was a dual award winner as he was selected as the league's men's Most Valuable Performer and Freshman of the Year after earning Second-Team All-MAC accolades with runner-up performances in the mile and 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Redshirt senior Jimmy Harkelroad (Huron, Ohio) won his 11th career league title besting the field in the men's 400 meters in a time of 48.33. Adding team points by virtue of placing fourth and fifth, respectively, in 48.70 and 48.77 were sophomores Andrew Styles (Freeport, Bahamas) and Braylyn Farrington (Alabaster, Ala.).
• Redshirt senior Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) earned his eighth career league title in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 17-9 (5.41m). Contributing team points with fifth- and sixth place finishes eclipsing 15-7.25 (4.76m) and 15-1.50 (4.61m) were freshmen Garett Boe (Chesapeake, Va.) and Isaac Baltic (Medina, Ohio)
• Senior Joy Nwokike (Benin City, Nigeria) garnered her third league title winning the women's 60 meters in 7.38. Nwokike also placed third in the women's 200 meters in 24.18.
• Redshirt junior Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) captured the title in the men's shot put with a career-best mark of 58-9.50 (17.92m), the fifth-best mark in indoor program history. Adding second- and fourth-place showings were redshirt senior Keegan Digby (Bowling Green, Ohio) and junior Josiah Cox (New Franklin, Ohio) with marks of 58-4 (17.78m) and 55-9 (16.99m).
• Freshman Rukia Omulisia (Nairobi, Kenya) won the women's 60-meter hurdles in a career-best time of 8.38, the second-fastest performance in indoor program history.
• Freshman Moses Lekokei (Kilgoris, Kenya) won his second MAC title edging freshman teammate Bismack Kipchirchir in the men's 3,000 meters crossing the line in 8:11.77. Kipchirchir posted a time of 8:11.78, while sophomore Titus Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya) placed fourth in 8:19.67.
• The men's 4x400 relay team of Farrington, Harkelroad, sophomore AJ Jordan (Columbus, Ohio) and Styles secured the team title crossing the line in 3:18.33. The championship marked the 12th career league title for Harkelroad in his final race as a Zip.
• The women's 4x400 relay team of junior Vanessa Horn (Ludwigsfelde, Germany), Omulisia, freshman Eve Clark (Euclid, Ohio) and Nwokike earned the title in a time of 3:44.85, the fifth-fastest time in indoor program history since 2014.
• Kipchirchir posted a runner-up finish in the men's mile in a time of 4:12.45.
• Going 2-3-4 in the men's 200 meters in times of 21.63, 21.75 and 21.91 was Harkelroad, Jordan and junior Tysean Baronette (Middletown, Del.).
• Jordan and sophomore Rennie Gittens, Jr. (Miami, Fla.) netted team points crossing the line in 6.82 and 6.85 in the men's 60 meters to finish third and fourth, respectively.
• Sophomore Mason Birch (Strongsville, Ohio) and freshman Delton Wright (Berea, Ohio) placed third and fourth in the men's high jump with marks of 6-8.25 (2.04m).
• Sophomore Mary Munga (Nyandarua, Kenya) finished fifth in the women's 800 meters in 2:11.89.
• Redshirt senior Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) placed sixth in the women's shot put with a career-best mark of 47-8 (14.53m).
• Freshman El Hadji Abdourahmane Mbodji (Lucie Leclerc, Senegal) finished sixth in the men's triple jump with a mark of 45-1.50 (13.75m)
• Horn earned team points placing sixth in the women's 400 meters in 55.27. She also finished seventh in the women's 200 meters in 24.91.
• Freshman Mercy Jebitok (Kapsabet, Kenya) placed eighth in the women's 3,000 meters in a time of 9:45.22.

UP NEXT
Garretson will compete in the men's pole vault at the NCAA Indoor Championships (March 14-15).

MEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: 1) Akron (164 points), 2) Kent State (153), 3) Eastern Michigan (120), 4) Buffalo (84)

WOMEN'S TEAM STANDINGS: 1) Bowling Green (95 points), 2) Akron (79), 3) Eastern Michigan (77), 4) Ball State (70.50), Kent State (70.50), 6) Toledo (64), 7) Miami (60), 8) Ohio (38), 9) Central Michigan (30), Northern Illinois (30), 11) Buffalo (26), 12) Western Michigan (22)

SATURDAY MEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
Mile: Bismack Kipchirchir (2nd-4:12.45), Taye Gonzalez (7th-4:22.19); 400 Meters: Jimmy Harkelroad (1st-48.33), Braylyn Farrington (4th-48.70), Andrew Styles (5th-48.77); 60 Meters: AJ Jordan (3rd-6.82), Rennie Gittens, Jr. (4th-6.85), Tysean Baronette (7th-6.91); 800 Meters: Majid Abuaun (8th-1:59.36); 200 Meters: Jimmy Harkelroad (2nd-21.63*), AJ Jordan (3rd-21.75), Tysean Baronette (4th-21.91); 3,000 Meters: Mose Lekokei (1st-8:11.77*), Bismack Kipchirchir (2nd-8:11.78), Titus Kirui (4th-8:19.67); 4x400 Relay: Braylyn Farrington, Jimmy Harkelroad, AJ Jordan, Andrew Styles (1st-3:18.33); Shot Put: Owen Wendl (1st-58-9.50/17.92m*), Keegan Digby (2nd-58-4/17.78m*), Josiah Cox (4th-55-9/16.99m); Pole Vault: Hunter Garretson (1st-17-9/5.41m), Garett Boe (5th-15-7.25/4.76m), Isaac Baltic (6th-15-1.50/4.61m); High Jump: Mason Birch (3rd-6-8.25/2.04m*), Delton Wright (4th-6-8.25/2.04m), Jordan Thompson-Seay (7th-6-6.75/2.00m*); Triple Jump: El Hadji Abdourahmane Mbodji (6th-45-1.50/13.75m), Jalen McCoy (8th-43-5/13.23m)

SATURDAY WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
60-Meter Hurdles: Rukia Omulisia (1st-8.38*); 400 Meters: Vanessa Horn (6th-55.27); 60 Meters: Joy Nwokike (1st-7.38); 800 Meters: Mary Munga (5th-2:11.89); 200 Meters: Joy Nwokike (3rd-24.18), Vanessa Horn (7th-24.91); 3,000 Meters: Mercy Jebitok (8th-9:45.22), Megan Hipple (14th-10:03.09); 4x400 Relay: Vanessa Horn, Rukia Omulisia, Eve Clark, Joy Nwokike (1st-3:44.85); Shot Put: Brook Boes (6th-47-8/14.53m*), Nighyah Carthen (11th-44-3.25/13.49m*), Gabrielle Griffiths (13th-43-8/13.31m); Triple Jump: Shania Thomas (15th-38-4.25/11.69m*); High Jump: Ruth Webb (9th-5-6/1.68m)

FRIDAY MEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
5,000 Meters: Moses Lekokei (1st-14:29.44), Bismack Kipchirchir (2nd-14:29.74), Heriberto Alvarez (5th-15:02.03); Distance Medley Relay: Quinn Hopkins, Jalen McCoy, Jared Newenhisen, Emil Stanford (4th-10:40.49); Long Jump: Benjamin Hudak (7th-22-6.50/6.87m*), Jacob Glavickas (8th-22-4.25/6.81m), El Hadji Abdourahmane Mbodji (10th-21-6.25/6.56m); Weight Throw: Keegan Digby (3rd-57-7.50/17.56m), Christopher Vance (4th-56-6.75/17.24m), Josiah Cox (7th-53-9.25/16.39m)

FRIDAY WOMEN'S FINAL RESULTS:
5,000 Meters: Mercy Jebitok (7th-16:53.47), Danielle Honaker (14th-17:19.99*), Megan Hipple (16th-17:33.20); Distance Medley Relay: Grace Henderson, Mariyah Moore, Jadyn Towns, Kayla Sucharski (9th-12:23.44); Weight Throw: Brook Boes (2nd-64-0.50/19.52m), Gabrielle Griffiths (4th-57-7.75/17.57m), Victoria Kuol (6th-57-5.75/17.52m), Nighyah Carthen (18th-49-7.75/15.13m); Pole Vault: Cassidy Allen (1st-13-10/4.22m*), Jessica Mason (7th-12-0.75/3.68m), Ava Fleetwood (12th-11-7/3.53m*)

FRIDAY MEN'S PRELIMINARY RESULTS:
60-Meter Hurdles: Kyle Brown (9th-8.68); 400 Meters: Jimmy Harkelroad (3rd-48.93q), Andrew Styles (4th-49.39q), Braylyn Farrington (5th-49.52q); 60 Meters: Rennie Gittens, Jr. (1st-6.73Q*), AJ Jordan (4th-6.83Q), Tysean Baronette (5th-6.84q*); 200 Meters: Jimmy Harkelroad (2nd-21.68q), Tysean Baronette (3rd-21.75q), AJ Jordan (4th-21.81q)

FRIDAY WOMEN'S PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Mile: Grace Henderson (11th-5:05.42*); 60-Meter Hurdles: Rukia Omulisia (3rd-8.61Q); 400 Meters: Vanessa Horn (2nd-55.02q); 60 Meters: Joy Nwokike (1st-7.34Q*), Ayanna Stafford (14th-7.68), Rukia Omulisia (15th-7.69*), Mariyah Moore (20th-7.77); 800 Meters: Mary Munga (6th-2:13.01Q); 200 Meters: Joy Nwokike (2nd-24.31q), Vanessa Horn (7th-24.61q)

* denotes career-best mark | Q denotes auto qualifier | q denotes qualifier