“The University of Akron track and field team left little doubt that it is the most dominant track program in Ohio this weekend at the All-Ohio Championships in Cincinnati. For the second straight weekend, both the men’s and women’s teams won the overall meet, which consisted of competition from Cincinnati, Ohio State, Kent State and numerous other programs from around Ohio.”
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The University of Akron track and field team left little doubt that it is the most dominant track program in Ohio this weekend at the All-Ohio Championships in Cincinnati.
For the second straight weekend, both the men’s and women’s teams won the overall meet, which consisted of competition from Cincinnati, Ohio State, Kent State and numerous other programs from around Ohio.
Larisa Arcip and Rachel Zubricky led the women’s team with a pair of 1-2 finishes in the 800 and 1,500-meters. The 36 points from the two events played a big factor in the Zips’ victory.
Arcip and Zubricky provided an amazing one-two punch in both the 1500 and 800, said head coach Dennis Mitchell.
The women’s team totaled 174.5 points, besting second-place Cincinnati’s score of 128.5.
The men topped second-place Cincinnati by 9 points, finishing with 171.5 points.
For senior Mike Meditz, it was a record breaking-meet.
He broke his own school record in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 51.51 and placing first in the race.
For the men, the meet came down to the final race, the 4-by-400 meters.
Meditz ran the first leg of the second-place 4-by-400 meters relay team that propelled the Zips men’s squad over host Cincinnati. Akron had not led in the meet until the 4-by-400 meter win gave the team the victory.
The men’s 4-by-400 relay team also consisted of Brandon Wells, Howard Harris and James Howell. They broke the school record in the event with a time of 3:10.71.
Cadeau Kelley once again swept the distance-jumping events by placing first in the long jump and triple jump.
Randal Hafner and Auston Papay bettered their national standings in throwing events this weekend.
Hafner’s fourth-place distance in the shot put improved his national mark while Papay’s throw was good for second place and a big jump in his national standing for the event.
The women took the top three spots in the pole vault while facing Big East Indoor champion Tera Meier of Cincinnati.
Jessica Miller placed first, followed by teammates Carrie Kayes and Jessica Goldsmith. All three athletes qualified for NCAA Regionals by clearing 12-5.50.
The men’s and women’s sprinting unit added quality performances from Howard Harris, Aaron Dobson and Corine Gavin-Hall.
Harris won the 100 and finished second in the 200. Dobson finished fourth in the 100 and Gavin-Hall placed second in the 100 and also was a part of the 4-by-100 meters first-place relay team.
The Zips not only won the meet this weekend, but also had the opportunity to show Mid-American Conference East opponents what to expect for the MAC Championships May 10-12.
Overall, the men’s and women’s teams accumulated 32 top-three finishes in the meet, which featured 21 events.
Coach Mitchell said that being the best program in Ohio was very important to the team and that the victory will give the team more confidence for the MAC Championships.
The Zips track and field team will split up this weekend, sending athletes to Philadelphia for the Penn Relays and Des Moines, Iowa for the Drake Relays.
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