Akron Set to Compete at Jesse Owens Classic

Friday, May 2

Columbus, Ohio

All Day

University of Akron

Jesse Owens Classic

May 01 | Track & Field

JESSE OWENS CLASSIC: MEET INFORMATION | LIVE STATS

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron track and field team is set to visit Columbus, Ohio, for the Jesse Owens Classic on Friday and Saturday (May 2-3).

UP NEXT: Akron is set to compete at the Jesse Owens Classic hosted by Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio this weekend.

Live stats will be available at GoZips.com.

NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2025 outdoor season as the Zips are rated among the Top 30 in the Event Squad rankings for six events released on April 29, 2025, 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 13th nationally in the men's shot put, 14th in the men's pole vault and in the women's hammer, 15th in the men's hammer and 19th in the women's discus and 26th in the men's discus.

ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2025 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron have three individual student-athletes ranked in the Top 50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2025 outdoor campaign as freshman Bismack Kipchirchir (Eldama Ravine, Kenya) is rated sixth in the nation in the men's 3,000-meter steeplechase (8:27.51).

Additionally, redshirt senior Hunter Garretson (Newcomerstown, Ohio) is 12th in the nation in the men's pole vault (18-0/5.49m).

GRAHAM NAMED MAC MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK:
Akron senior Lane Graham (Killbuck, Ohio) was honored by the Mid-American Conference as its Men's Track and Field Athlete of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (April 29).

Graham was tabbed as the MAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week.

Graham posted a career-best throw of 207-7 (63.29m) to place second in the men's hammer at the Ashland Alumni Open. His mark ranks first in the MAC, 67th nationally, and is the fourth-best throw in Akron program history.

A WEEK AGO:
Eight victories as part of 31 overall top five finishes highlighted the performances of the Akron track and field team at the Ashland Alumni Open, Drake Relays and Grand Valley State Extra Weekend Meet on Friday and Saturday (April 25-26).

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Bismack Kipchirchir won the men's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 13:53.02, the second-fastest time in outdoor program history.
• Freshman El Hadji Abdourahmane Mbodji (Lucie Leclerc, Senegal) captured the men's triple jump title with a mark of 45-1.50 (13.75m).
• Senior Cassidy Allen (Lakewood, N.Y.) eclipsed a career-best clearance of 13-5.75 (4.11m) to win the women's pole vault.
• Freshman Rukia Omulisia (Nairobi, Kenya) won the women's 100-meter hurdles in a career-best time of 13.75.
• Senior Grace Henderson (Rostraver Township, Pa.) took the title in the women's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 17:46.85.
• Redshirt senior Keegan Digby (Bowling Green, Ohio) bested the field in the elite men's shot put with a mark of 56-8.50 (17.28m), while junior Josiah Cox (New Franklin, Ohio) placed second with a throw of 56-7.50 (17.26m).
• Freshman Taye Gonzalez (Lewis Center, Ohio) won the men's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 14:56.52, while freshman Emil Stanford (Sunbury, Ohio) placed second in a time of 15:12.34.
• Lane Graham finished second in the men's elite hammer with a career-best mark of 207-7 (63.29m), the No. 4 mark in outdoor program history.
• Redshirt senior Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) posted the No. 5 mark in outdoor program history to win the women's elite discus with a throw of 168-10 (51.47m).
• Sophomore Braeden Quigley (Avon Lake, Ohio) finished second in the men's shot put with a throw of 50-1.75 (15.28m), while redshirt junior Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) placed second in the men's elite discus with a mark of 173-2 (52.80m).
• Sophomore Jessica Rhodes (Hartville, Ohio) won the women's discus with a mark of 140-6 (42.84m).
• Redshirt junior Gabrielle Griffiths (Fort Worth, Texas) finished second in the women's shot put (44-4.25/13.52m) and women's javelin (137-1/41.79m).

USTFCCCA HONORS GARRETSON AS GREAT LAKES REGIONAL FIELD ATHLETE OF THE YEAR:
Hunter Garretson was honored by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) as the Great Lakes Region Men's Field Athlete of the Year, the USTFCCCA announced on March 20.

Garretson becomes the fourth Zip to collect All-Regional honors since 2007 joining Olympians Clayton Murphy (2016-Track) and Shawn Barber (2015-Field) and Cadeau Kelley (2008-Field). He previously captured the honor during the 2023 outdoor campaign.

GARRETSON EARNS FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICA ACCOLADES:
Hunter Garretson captured First-Team All-America accolades on the strength of a third-place performance at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 14 in Virginia Beach, Va.

A five-time All-America honoree, Garretson captured First-Team laurels for the third time in his decorated career eclipsing 18-6.75 (5.66m).

After passing at the opening height of 17-7 (5.36m), Garretson cleared the next two bars of 17-11 (5.46m) and 18-3 (5.56m) on his initial runs at the heights.

He needed two attempts to clear 18-4.75 (5.61m) before besting the bar at 18-6.75 (5.66m) on his final attempt.

After missing his initial attempt at 18-8.34 (5.71m), Garretson passed his next two jumps. He was unable to clear the bar at 18-10.75 (5.76m) on each of his attempts and finished with a third-place effort.

GARRETSON NAMED ELITE 90 WINNER: Hunter Garretson was the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2025 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 14.

Winning the honor for the third consecutive season, Garretson became the first three-time recipient of the award in Division I track and field and ninth overall three-time honoree across all sports in Division I.

The honor was the fourth 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.

AKRON GARNERS TRIO OF MAC INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD SPECIALTY AWARDS:
Hunter Garretson and Bismack Kipchirchir were honored by the Mid-American Conference as its 2025 Indoor Track and Field Men's Most Outstanding Track and Field Performers of the Year, the league unveiled on March 7.

Additionally, Akron assistant coach Randy Overby was tabbed by his peers as the Men's Assistant Coach of the Year.

Garretson earned his fifth consecutive MAC indoor pole title and eighth overall league championship besting the field at the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships on March 1 with a mark of 17-9 (5.41m). His five indoor conference pole vault titles and eight overall combined (indoor/outdoor) pole vault championships are the most in league history.

Kipchirchir turned in a stellar effort at the MAC Championships garnering Most Valuable Performer and Freshman of the Year accolades with runner-up finishes in the men's mile, 3,000 and 5,000 meters.

He opened his championship run crossing the line second in the men's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 14:29.74, the fifth-fastest time in indoor program history. In final-day competition, Kipchirchir placed second in the men's mile in a time of 4:12.45 before capturing Second-Team All-MAC honors in the men's 3,000 meters in a time of 8:11.78.

The Akron's men's team under Overby's tutelage dominated the sprints and hurdles at the MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships (Feb. 28-March 1) scoring 54 points en route to securing its ninth overall indoor league title and first since 2020.

The team produced three All-MAC performances, with redshirt senior Jimmy Harkelroad (Huron, Ohio) earning First-Team honors in the 400M and 4x400 relay alongside Braylyn Farrington, AJ Jordan and Andrew Styles, while also receiving Second-Team recognition in the 200M.

The 4x400M relay squad, consisting of Farrington, Harkelroad, Jordan, and Styles, claimed victory, as did Harkelroad in the 400M. Additionally, Jordan secured third-place finishes in the 60M and 200M, while Tysean Baronette (4th – 200M), Rennie Gittens, Jr. (4th – 60M), Farrington (4th – 400M), and Styles (5th – 400M) delivered strong performances. Under expert coaching, the team has recorded the MAC's top times this season in the 400M and 4x400 relay, along with the second-best marks in the 60M and 200M.

AKRON CROSS COUNTRY EARNS USTFCCCA ALL-ACADEMIC ACCOLADES: The Akron cross country team under the leadership of Zips' director of track and field/cross country Kendra Reimer-Gonzales and cross country head coach Evans Kiptoo garnered recognition for the squad's efforts in the classroom as the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) tabbed Akron a Division I All-Academic team for the 2024 campaign.

The Akron men's squad was honored for recording a 3.335 GPA, while the women's team garnered recognition for its work in the classroom for the 11th straight year with a 3.356 cumulative GPA.

Overall, 209 women's teams and 183 men's teams earned All-Academic team honors.

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips added 17 overall top five performances and four school records in program history to the record book during the 2025 outdoor campaign.

NAME	EVENT/DATE	RANK – MARK
Bismack Kipchirchir	Men's 3,000M Steeplechase – March 27	No. 1 – 8:37.85
Joy Nwokike	Women's 400M – April 5	No. 1 – 52.90
Ayanna Stafford Joy Nwokike Rukia Omulisia Vanessa Horn	Women's 4x100 Relay – April 4	No. 1 – 45.19
Bismack Kipchirchir	Men's 3,000M Steeplechase – April 16	No. 1 – 8:27.51
Bismack Kipchirchir	Men's 5,000M – April 26	No. 2 – 13:53.02
Titus Kirui	Men's 5,000M – April 17	No. 3 – 14:12.75
Moses Lekokei	Men's 5,000M – April 26	No. 3 – 13:53.33
Josiah Cox	Men's Shot Put – March 29	No. 4 – 58-7.25 (17.86m)
Christopher Vance	Men's Hammer – April 4	No. 4 – 206-11 (63.06m)
Megan Hipple	Women's 5,000M – April 17	No. 4 – 16:42.42
Lane Graham	Men's Hammer – April 25	No. 4 – 207-7 (63.29m)
Titus Kirui	Men's 5,000M – March 27	No. 5 – 14:27.68
Owen Wendl	Men's Discus – April 13	No. 5 – 182-9 (55.72m)
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – April 18	No. 5 – 58-1 (17.70m)
Ayanna Stafford Joy Nwokike Rukia Omulisia Victory George	Women's 4x100 Relay – April 19	No. 5 – 45.78
Brook Boes	Women's Discus – April 26	No. 5 – 168-10 (51.47m)
Gabrielle Griffiths	Women's Hammer – April 25	No. 5 – 193-1 (58.86m)

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips added 28 overall top five performances and five school records 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
Bismack Kipchirchir	Men's Mile – Jan. 31	No. 4 – 4:05.32
Hunter Garretson	Men's Pole Vault – Feb. 7	No. 3 – 18-10.75 (5.76m)
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 3,000M – Feb. 8	No. 5 – 9:45.11
Rukia Omulisia	Women's 60MH – Feb. 8	No. 4 – 8.48
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 5,000M – Feb. 15	No. 1 – 16:23.67
Braylyn Farrington Jimmy Harkelroad AJ Jordan Andrew Styles	Men's 4x400 Relay – Feb. 15	No. 4 – 3:11.12
Joy Nwokike	Women's 400M – Feb. 14	No. 1 – 53.29
Bismack Kipchirchir	Men's 3,000M – Feb. 14	No. 1 – 7:57.23
Moses Lekokei	Men's 5,000M – Feb. 14	No. 2 – 13:56.25
Vanessa Horn	Women's 400M – Feb. 14	No. 4 – 54.66
Bismack Kipchirchir	Men's 5,000M – Feb. 28	No. 5 – 14:29.74
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – March 1	No. 5 – 58-9.50 (17.92m)
Joy Nwokike	Women's 60M – Feb. 28	No. 1 – 7.34
Rukia Omulisia	Women's 60MH – March 1	No. 2 – 8.38
Cassidy Allen	Women's Pole Vault – Feb. 28	No. 5 – 13.10 (4.22m)
Vanessa Horn Rukia Omulisia Eve Clark Joy Nwokike	Women's 4x400 Relay – March 1	No. 5 – 3:44.85