Akron Prepared for MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships

Friday, February 27

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

10:00 AM

University of Akron

Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships

Akron Prepared for MAC Indoor Track and Field Championships

February 26 | Track & Field

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron men's and women's track and field team will join the rest of their MAC members this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 27-28) to compete at the league's Indoor Championships, as Central Michigan hosts the two-day event at the Jack Skoog Track.

UP NEXT: The Zips will compete at the league's Indoor Championships, as Central Michigan hosts the two-day event at the Jack Skoog Track on Friday and Saturday.

In all, the championship meet will feature men's teams from Akron, Buffalo, Eastern Michigan, Kent State and Massachusetts, while all 13 league members will be chasing the title on the women's side.

Live stats of the MAC Championships will be available at GoZips.com.

The Zips' men squad has won six of the last 11 indoor team titles and 12 of the last 20 MAC championships overall.

On the women's side, the Zips are seeking their eighth indoor championship.

MAC MEET SCHEDULE: The MAC Championships will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 27 at the Jack Skoog Track with the start of the women's pentathlon. That will be followed by the commencement of running events with the women's mile preliminary round at 1:45 p.m. and run through the men's distance medley relay at 6 p.m. The final day of the championship kicks off with the conclusion of the men's heptathlon at 10 a.m. The first running event is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. with the women's mile, before the meet wraps up with the men's 4x400 relay at 3:45 p.m. For a complete schedule of events, log on to MAC-Sports.com. Live results (click here) will be available throughout the meet.

Scoring in the meet will be on a 10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for individual events and relays for the women and 10-8-6-4-2-1 for the men.

DEFENDING THEIR TITLES: The Zips have two student-athletes seeking to repeat as individual indoor conference champions this season.

Redshirt junior Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) earned his first league title in the men's shot put with a then career-best mark of 58-9.50 (17.92m).

Redshirt senior Cassidy Allen (Lakewood, N.Y.) captured her second consecutive indoor title in the women's pole vault eclipsing a then career-best mark of 13-10 (4.22m).

The men's 4x400 relay team returns juniors Braylyn Farrington (Alabaster, Ala.), AJ Jordan (Columbus, Ohio) and Andrew Styles (Freeport, Bahamas), while the women's 4x400 relay welcomes back senior Vanessa Horn (Ludwigsfelde, Germany).

Additionally, earning Second-Team All-MAC accolades was redshirt senior Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio), who placed second in the women's weight throw with a mark of 64-0.50 (19.52m).

ALL–MAC PERFORMERS (First–Team All–MAC/Second–Team All–MAC): Below is a listed on first– and second–place performances at the Mid–American Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships for the current members of the Zips' squad.

Owen Wendl (4/0) – Indoor: Shot Put – 2025 (1st-58-9.50/17.92m); Outdoor: Discus – 2025 (1st-200-10/61.23m), 2024 (1st-180-9/55.11m); Shot Put – 2025 (1st-60-2.50/18.35m)

Andrew Styles (3/2) – Indoor: 4x400 Relay – 2025 (1st-3:18.33), 2024 (1st-3:14.86); Outdoor: 4x100 Relay – 2024 (2nd-40.06); 400 Meters – 2025 (1st-46.96); 4x400 Relay – 2025 (2nd-3:09.36)

Cassidy Allen (3/1) – Indoor: Pole Vault – 2025 (1st-13-10/4.22m), 2024 (1st-12-10/3.90m); Outdoor: Pole Vault – 2025 (1st-12-11.50/3.95m), 2024 (2nd-12-7.50/3.85m)

AJ Jordan (2/6) – Indoor: 60 Meters – 2024 (2nd-6.83); 200 Meters – 2024 (2nd-21.81); 4x400 Relay – 2025 (1st-3:18.33), 2024 (1st-3:14.86); Outdoor: 4x100 Relay – 2024 (2nd-40.06); 100 Meters – 2025 (2nd-10.52); 200 Meters – 2025 (2nd-20.74); 4x400 Relay – 2025 (2nd-3:09.36)

Vanessa Horn (2/2) – Indoor: 4x400 Relay – 2025 (1st-3:44.85); 400 Meters – 2024 (2nd-55.52); Outdoor: 4x400 Relay – 2024 (2nd-3:39.10); 4x100 Relay – 2025 (1st-44.51)

Braylyn Farrington (2/1) – Indoor: 4x400 Relay – 2025 (1st-3:18.33); Outdoor: 4x400 Relay – 2025 (2nd-3:09.36), 2024 (1st-3:09.32)

Tysean Baronette (1/2) – Outdoor: 100 Meters – 2024 (2nd-10.26); 4x100 Relay – 2024 (2nd-40.06); 4x400 Relay – 2024 (1st-3:09.32)

Mason Birch (1/0) – Outdoor: High Jump – 2025 (7-0.25/2.14m)

Josiah Cox (0/3) – Indoor: Shot Put: 2023 (2nd-54-5.25/16.59m); Outdoor: Shot Put: 2024 (2nd-57-0.75/17.39m), 2023 (2nd-56-5.25/17.20m)

Adaeze Nwokike (0/2) – Outdoor: 4x100 Relay: 2022 (2nd-45.76); 400-Meter Hurdles: 2023 (2nd-59.91)

Isaac Baltic (0/1) – Outdoor: Pole Vault – 2025 (2nd-17-0.25/5.19m)

Brook Boes (0/1) – Indoor: Weight Throw – (2nd-64-0.50/19.52m)

Lane Graham (0/1) – Outdoor: Hammer – 2025 (2nd-207-7/63.29m)

Jalen McCoy (0/1) – Outdoor: 4x400 Relay – 2025 (2nd-3:09.36)

TOP TIMES IN THE MAC: The Zips have registered 10 overall top performances in the Mid-American Conference during the indoor campaign.

Indoor

NAME	EVENT/DATE	RANK – MARK
Cassidy Allen	Women's Pole Vault	No. 1 – 14-2 (4.32m)
Isaac Baltic	Men's Pole Vault	No. 1 – 17-4.50 (5.30m)
Brook Boes	Women's Shot Put	No. 1 – 52-2.75 (15.92m)
Brook Boes	Women's Weight Throw	No. 1 –67-4.25 (20.53m)
Lane Graham	Men's Weight Throw	No. 1 – 67-4 (20.52m)
Megan Hipple	Women's 5,000 Meters	No. 1 – 15:53.23
AJ Jordan	Men's 200 Meters	No. 1 – 21.12
Jackline Nanjala	Women's 400 Meters	No. 1 – 53.92
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put	No. 1 – 60-8 (18.49m)
4x400 Relay (W)	Women's 4x400 Relay	No. 1 – 3:41.04

THREE ZIPS EARN MAC'S TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK HONORS:
Brook Boes, junior Rennie Gittens, Jr. (Miami, Fla.) and sophomore Kaden Rambatt (Sharon, Wis.) were recognized by the Mid-American Conference as its Track and Field Athletes of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday (Feb. 24).

Boes was selected as the women's Field Athlete of the Week, while Gittens, Jr., was named the men's Track Athlete of the Week and Rambatt honored as the men's Field Athlete of the Week.

Boes dominated the throws at the Akron Invitational, winning the weight throw with a career-best mark of 67-4.25 (20.53m), the No. 5 performance in indoor program history, before also capturing the shot put title at 50-10 (15.49m). Boes owns the top MAC marks this season in both events and ranks 31st nationally in the weight throw and 46th in the shot put.

Gittens, Jr., claimed the 60-meter title at the Akron Invitational, clocking a winning time of 6.81 seconds to lead the field.

Rambatt cleared a career-best 17-3.50 (5.27m) to win the men's pole vault at the Akron Invitational. His mark ranks second in the MAC this season.

LAST TIME OUT:
On a night when the University of Akron track and field team honored redshirt senior Adaeze Nwokike (Benin City, Nigeria) on Senior Night, the Zips captured 14 victories as part of 35 overall top three performances at the 22nd Annual Akron Invitational at the Stile Athletics Field House on Feb. 20.

HOW IT HAPPENED:
• Redshirt senior Lane Graham (Killbuck, Ohio) set a career-best mark of 67-4 (20.52m) to win the men's weight throw with the second-best mark in indoor program history.
• Brook Boes won the women's weight throw with a career-best mark of 67-4.25 (20.53m), the No. 5 mark in indoor program history. She then finished first in the women's shot put with a mark of 50-10 (15.49m).
• Owen Wendl took the title in the men's shot put with a career-best mark of 60-8 (18.49m), the second-longest throw in indoor program history.
• Freshman Jackline Nanjala (Kitale, Kenya) won the women's 400 meters in a career-best time of 53.92, the second-fastest time in indoor program history.
• Freshman Te'Aira Branham-Patrick (Dayton, Ohio) bested the field in the women's 60 meters in a career-best time of 7.48, the fifth-fastest time in indoor program history.
• Junior Titus Kirui (Eldoret, Kenya) won the men's 5,000 meters in a career-best time of 14:43.53.
• Sophomore Mariyah Moore (Cleveland, Ohio) captured the women's 200 meters in a career-best time of 24.70.
• Braylyn Farrington captured the men's 400 meters in a time of 48.25.
• Junior Rennie Gittens, Jr. (Miami, Fla.) bested the field in the men's 60 meters in a time of 6.81.
• Sophomore Kaden Rambatt (Sharon, Wis.) eclipsed a career-best clearance of 17-3.50 (5.27m) to win the men's pole vault.
• Senior Benjamin Hudak (Tallmadge, Ohio) was first in the men's long jump with a mark of 23-3.50 (7.10m).
• Senior Ruth Webb (Akron, Ohio) cleared a career-high 5-5 (1.65m) to win the women's high jump.
• Sophomore Shania Thomas (Bridgetown, Barbados) earned the title in the women's triple jump with a career-best jump of 39-8.75 (12.11m).

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 six events released on Feb. 24, 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 eighth nationally in the men's shot put, 12th in the men's pole vault, 13th in women's weight throw and women's shot put, 19th in the men's weight throw and 21st in the women's pole vault and.

ZIPS RANK AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2026 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron has five 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 28th in the women's pole vault (14-2/4.32m).

Additionally, Brook Boes is 32nd in the women's weight throw (67-4.25/20.53m) and 46th in the women's shot put (52-2.75/15.92m), Owen Wendl is 35th in the men's shot put (60-8/18.49m) and Isaac Baltic is 48th in the men's pole vault (17-4.50/5.30m).

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 21 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
Cassidy Allen	Women's Pole Vault – Feb. 13	No. 4 – 14-2 (4.32m)
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – Feb. 20	No. 2 – 60-8 (18.49m)
Lane Graham	Men's Weight Throw – Feb. 20	No. 2 – 67-4 (20.52m)
Te'Aira Branham-Patrick	Women's 60M – Feb. 20	No. 2 – 7.48
Jackline Nanjala	Women's 400M – Feb. 20	No. 2 – 53.92
Brook Boes	Women's Weight Throw – Feb. 20	No. 5 – 67-4.25 (20.53m)