Kent State men’s track and field team captures first MAC outdoor title since 2004
[ad_1]
The Kent State men’s track and field team secured its first title at the Mid-American Conference Outdoor Championships since 2004 in dominating fashion on Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich.
The Golden Flashes finished with 196 points, well ahead of runner-up Western Michigan (155), to give director of track and field Bill Lawson his first outdoor crown since he took over the program in 2005.
The Flashes scored 110 points on Saturday, day three of the meet. Nolan Landis opened with a victory in the discus (169 feet, 9 inches), and also took third in the shot put (54-1.25.) earlier in the meet.
Asa Hodrick then took over on Saturday. First he teamed up with Mondo Colome, Korie Davis II and Jaheim Jones to win the 4×100-meter relay in 40.62 seconds. Hodrick added an individual victory in the 100 meters with a personal-best time of 10.37 seconds, then finished second in the 200 meters in 20.75.
Alexandre Malanda placed second in the triple jump with a wind-aided PR of 51-8.25. Malanda also finished fifth in the long jump on Friday, and was named the Freshman Field Performer of the Year.
Jonathan Solomon was the final KSU athlete to earn All-MAC honors Saturday, taking second in the 400 meters with a personal best time of 47.58.
On Friday Alexander Shields (7,168) and Jacob Mally (7,154) finished 1-2 in the decathlon, becoming the first teammates to eclipse 7,000 points at the conference meet since 2015.
Del’Mario Hairston claimed his first MAC gold with a long jump personal-best of 24-5.
Nick Stricklen recorded his second runner-up finish in as many days, crossing the finish line in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9:29.88. He took second in the 10,000 meters on Thursday (30:17.96).
Jake Wickey opened the MAC Championships on Thursday with his first career hammer throw title, after finishing second in 2019 and 2021. Wickey was third before unleashing a winning heave of 210-11 on his final attempt.
Scott Benco (214-6) and Bradley Heck (213-5) finished second and third, respectively, in the javelin, while Lukas Van Der Watt took second in the pole vault with a height of 16-4.75.
Baidy Ba, Joe Farley and Alexander Shields each captured third place in their respective races. Ba ran a time of 3:48.56 in the 1,500 meters, Farley posted a time of 14:47.08 in the 5,000 meters, and Shields clocked a wind-aided personal best of 14.01 in the 110-meter hurdles. Solomon, Quintin Cooks, Hodrick and Kyle Sommer added a third-place finish in the 4×400 meter relay with a time of 3:14.16.
MAC Men’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Final team scores: 1. Kent State 196, 2. Eastern Michigan 155, 3. Akron 128, 4. Miami 120, 5. Buffalo 48.
MAC WOMEN’S OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Defending champion Kent State came up just short in its quest to repeat, but posted 110 points – its highest score at the MAC Championships since 2017 – to finish second behind Akron (124).
Benja Duff won the 100-meter hurdles in a personal-best time of 13.46 seconds. Gabby Bailey claimed her second straight outdoor shot put title with a throw of 55-10.25, and was runner-up in the discus (171-9). Leah Pasqualetti captured her fourth overall MAC pole vault crown with a height of 12-9.
Grace Tennant finished second in the javelin (147-9), third in the shot put (53-11.25) and third in the discus (170-7). Karlea Duhon athird in the javelin (132-9).
MAC Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships
Final team scores: 1. Akron 124, 2. Kent State 110, 3. Eastern Michigan 108, 4. Northern Illinois 94, 5. Miami 72, 6. Toledo 71, 7. Central Michigan 67, 8. Bowling Green 61, 9. Ball State 54, 10. Buffalo 27, 11. Western Michigan 19, 12. Ohio 12.
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Kent State’s men’s team took first at the MAC Outdoor Championships
[ad_2]
Source link