Jebitok Represents Akron at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Jebitok Represents Akron at NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships

June 10 | Track & Field

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron track and field redshirt freshman Mercy Jebitok (Kapsabet, Kenya) is set to vie for a national title at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, hosted by the University of Oregon at Historic Hayward Field on Thursday (June 11) in Eugene, Ore.

Coverage of the meet as well as live field event coverage will be provided on ESPN+ each day of competition.

UP NEXT: Jebitok will represent the Zips at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships this week.

Jebitok will compete for the Zips in the women's 10,000 meters at 10:56 p.m. ET on Thursday (June 11).

Jebitok will be making her first NCAA Outdoor Championship appearance in the women's 10,000 meters on the strength of running a school- and Mid-American Conference-record time of 33:05.76 at the NCAA East Preliminary Round Championship on May 28.

Jebitok captured a pair of MAC titles with a time of 16:13.93 in the women's 5,000 meters and a school-record time of 33:11.90 in the women's 10,000 meters.

AKRON WOMEN'S QUALIFIERS (Qualifying Rank-Qualifying Mark):
Mercy Jebitok – 10,000 meters (No. 41 – 33:05.76)

For the complete list of entries, please log on to NCAA.com

NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET SCHEDULE: The NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet begins at 4 p.m. ET at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon on Wednesday (June 10), with the start of the men's decathlon. Field events start with the men's hammer at 5:30 p.m. ET before running events kick off with the men's 4x100 relay semifinals at 8:05 p.m. ET and conclude with the running of the men's 4x400 relay at 11:36 p.m. ET.

The second day opens with the men's 110-meter hurdles as part of the decathlon at 1:45 p.m. ET. Field events start with the women's hammer at 5:30 p.m. ET, before running events begin with the semifinal round of the women's 4x100 relay at 8:05 p.m. ET. The semifinals of the women's 4x400 relay closes out the day's action at 11:36 p.m. ET.

Third-day competition commences on Friday with the women's 100-meter hurdles as part of the heptathlon at 2:45 p.m. ET. The men's discus kicks off field events at 5:15 p.m. ET, before the running events take the track with the final of the men's 4x100 relay at 8:02 p.m. ET. The men's 4x400 relay final will conclude the men's portion of the championship at 10:21 p.m. ET.

The final day of the championship kicks off with the women's discus at 2:30 p.m. ET before the long jump for the heptathlon starts at 5:30p.m. ET. The final of the women's 4x100 relay is slated to begin at 8:02 p.m. ET. The women's 4x400 relay final will conclude the women's portion of the championship at 10:21 p.m. ET.

For a complete schedule of events, log on to NCAA.com. Live results (click here) will be available throughout the meet as well as live video (click here).

The tentative schedule of events for the Zips at the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships are as follows;

Thursday, June 11
10:56 p.m. ET – Mercy Jebitok (Women's 10,000 meters)

NCAA CHAMPIONS: Akron's entries will be looking to add to the tradition of the Zips' track and field program, which already includes nine individual national champions. Christi Smith made history in 2000 when she became the first national champion in school history, capturing gold in the heptathlon. Stevi Large was the next to accomplish the feat, winning the women's hammer throw in 2009. Annika Roloff captured the women's pole vault in 2014. Shawn Barber became the school's first male champion claiming the indoor pole vault title in 2014 before again earning the crown at the 2015 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Clayton Murphy became Akron's first-ever NCAA champion in a running event winning the indoor 800 meters and outdoor 1,500 meters in 2016. In 2017, Matt Ludwig claimed the national title in the men's pole vault.

TOP TIMES IN THE MAC: The Zips currently own 12 overall performances that lead the Mid-American Conference during the outdoor campaign.

Outdoor

NAME	EVENT/DATE	RANK – MARK
Andrew Styles	Men's 200M	No. 1 – 20.70
Andrew Styles	Men's 400M	No. 1 – 46.22
Jackline Nanjala	Women's 400M	No. 1 – 52.86
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 10,000M	No. 1 – 33:05.76
Amari Pratt Te'Aira Branham-Patrick Vanessa Horn Mariyah Moore	Women's 4x100 Relay	No. 1 – 44.68
Braylyn Farrington AJ Jordan Jalen McCoy Andrew Styles	Men's 4x400 Relay	No. 1 – 3:08.29
Kaden Rambatt	Men's Pole Vault	No. 1 – 17-3.50 (5.27m)
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put	No. 1 – 62-1 (18.92m)
Brook Boes	Women's Shot Put	No. 1 – 50-9.25 (15.47m)
Amari Noble	Men's Discus	No. 1 – 189-11 (57.90m)
Lane Graham	Men's Hammer	No. 1 – 220-2 (67.12m)
Gabrielle Griffith	Women's Hammer	No. 1 – 205-1 (62.52m)

TOP TIMES IN THE MAC: The Zips 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

AKRON GARNERS MAC OUTDOOR POSTSEASON HONORS: Redshirt seniors Brook Boes (Tiffin, Ohio) and Owen Wendl (Medina, Ohio) and junior Andrew Styles (Freeport, Bahamas) were honored by the Mid-American Conference when the league unveiled its 2026 specialty awards on May 21.

Wendl and Boes were tabbed as the league's Outdoor Track and Field Men's and Women's Most Outstanding Field Performers of the Year, while Styles garnered the Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Year.

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

Styles successfully defended his conference title in the 400 meters (46.20), while adding crowns in the 200 meters (20.70) and 4x400 relay en route to securing 22.5 points for the Zips to be named the meet's Most Valuable Performer for the second consecutive MAC Championship (Indoor and Outdoor).

Wendl successfully defended his conference titles in both the shot put (59-9.25/18.22m) and discus (188-1/57.33m), while helping lead Akron to its fourth consecutive MAC Outdoor Championship team title.

Boes was named the MAC Women's Field Most Valuable Performer after capturing the MAC championship in the shot put with a throw of 49-9.75 (15.18m) and adding a runner-up finish in the hammer throw (191-7/58.40m) and a fourth-place finish in the discus (156-3/47.62m).

NATIONAL RANKINGS: The University of Akron track and field teams have garnered recognition for their efforts during the 2026 outdoor season as the Zips are rated among the Top 30 in the Event Squad rankings for eight events released on May 19, 2026, 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 12th nationally in the women's hammer, 14th in the men's hammer and men's shot put, 16th in the women's discus, 17th in the men's discus, 22nd in the men's and women's pole vault and 27th in the women's shot put

ZIPS RANKED AMONG NATION'S BEST IN 2026 TFRRS RANKINGS: Akron have five individual student-athletes ranked in the Top 50 nationally by the Track and Field Results Reporting System (TFRRS) for the 2026 outdoor campaign as Owen Wendl is 30th in the men's shot put (62-1/18.92m).

Additionally, redshirt senior Lane Graham (Killbuck, Ohio) is 32nd in the men's hammer (220-2/67.12m), redshirt senior Gabrielle Griffiths (Fort Worth, Texas) is 36th in the women's hammer (205-1/62.52m), Mercy Jebitok is 45th in the women's 10,000 meters (33:11.90) and sophomore Amari Noble (Virginia Beach, Va.) is 49th in the men's discus (189-11/57.90m).

AKRON GARNERS MAC INDOOR POSTSEASON HONORS: Akron assistant coach Randy Overby was tabbed the Mid-American Conference Men's Assistant Coach of the Year after Akron captured back-to-back indoor team titles and its fourth consecutive overall league crown.

Brook Boes was selected as the MAC Women's Most Outstanding Field Performer of the Meet, after sweeping the throwing events winning the women's shot put (49-11.25/15.22m) and weight throw (68-4.50/20.84m).

Andrew Styles was honored as the MAC Men's Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet after winning the 200M (21.67) and 400m (47.99) and anchoring the winning 4x400 relay (3:16.25).

Junior Megan Hipple (Warren, Ohio) was tabbed the MAC Women's Most Outstanding Track Performer of the Meet after a pair of All-MAC performances winning the women's 3K (9:18.79) and placing second in the 5K (16.03.86).

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips have added 32 overall top five performances and nine school-record marks in program history to the record book during the 2026 outdoor campaign.

NAME	EVENT/DATE	RANK – MARK
Lane Graham	Men's Hammer – March 20	No. 4 – 210-0 (64.02m)
Jackline Nanjala	Women's 400M – March 21	No. 2 – 53.34
Brook Boes	Women's Shot Put – March 21	No. 5 – 50-4.50 (15.35m)
Vanessa Horn McKenzie McNitt Mariyah Moore Jackline Nanjala	Women's 4x400 Relay – March 21	No. 2 – 3:39.14
Amari Pratt Te'Aira Branham-Patrick Vanessa Horn Mariyah Moore	Women's 4x100 Relay – March 21	No. 3 – 44.68
Braylyn Farrington AJ Jordan Jalen McCoy Andrew Styles	Men's 4x400 Relay – March 21	No. 3 – 3:08.94
Rennie Gittens, Jr. AJ Jordan Garrett Tiller Andrew Styles	Men's 4x100 Relay – March 21	No. 4 – 40.02
Noah Nyageo	Men's 5,000M – March 26	No. 4 – 14:04.68
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – March 28	No. 1 – 61-9 (18.82m)
Lane Graham	Men's Hammer – March 27	No. 2 – 212-6 (64.76m)
Megan Hipple	Women's 5,000M – March 27	No. 1 – 16:10.45
Gabrielle Griffiths	Women's Hammer – March 27	No. 5 – 156-4 (47.66m)
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – April 3	No. 1 – 62-0.50 (18.91m)
Lane Graham	Men's Hammer – April 3	No. 2 – 219-11 (67.03m)
Jackline Nanjala	Women's 400M – April 4	No. 2 – 52.87
Gabrielle Griffiths	Women's Hammer – April 3	No. 5 – 194-3 (59.21m)
Vanessa Horn McKenzie McNitt Mariyah Moore Jackline Nanjala	Women's 4x400 Relay – April 4	No. 1 – 3:37.05
Braylyn Farrington AJ Jordan Jalen McCoy Andrew Styles	Men's 4x400 Relay – April 4	No. 3 – 3:08.29
Gabrielle Griffiths	Women's Hammer – April 9	No. 5 – 194-9 (59.36m)
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 1,500M – April 10	No. 4 – 4:22.33
Owen Wendl	Men's Shot Put – April 16	No. 1 – 62-1 (18.92m)
Megan Hipple	Women's 10,000M – April 16	No. 1 – 33:25.83
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 5,000M – April 23	No. 2 – 16:11.82
Megan Hipple	Women's 5,000M – May 1	No. 1 – 16:05.46
Amari Noble	Men's Discus – May 2	No. 3 – 189-11 (57.90m)
Gabrielle Griffiths	Women's Hammer – May 6	No. 4 – 205-1 (62.52m)
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 10,000M – May 14	No. 1 – 33:11.90
Andrew Styles	Men's 400M – May 16	No. 2 – 46.22
Lane Graham	Men's Hammer – May 15	No. 2 – 220-2 (67.12m)
Jackline Nanjala	Women's 400M – May 16	No. 2 – 52.86
Taye Gonzalez	Men's 3,000M Steeplechase – May 15	No. 4 – 9:00.20
Titus Kirui	Men's 10,000M – May 14	No. 4 – 29:38.19
Noah Nyageo	Men's 10,000M – May 14	No. 5 – 30:01.49
Mercy Jebitok	Women's 10,000M – May 28	No. 1 – 33:05.76

CRACKING THE ALL-TIME TOP FIVE PERFORMANCES: The Zips added 25 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)
Lane Graham	Men's Weight Throw – Feb. 27	No. 2 – 68-3.25 (20.81m)
Abigael Kiplaget	Women's 5,000M – Feb. 27	No. 3 – 16:30.74
Brook Boes	Women's Weight Throw – Feb. 27	No. 4 – 68-4.50 (20.84m)
Titus Kirui	Men's 5,000M – Feb. 27	No. 5 – 14:20.81