Men's Track And Field Looks To Repeat As MAC Champs
5/10/2005 12:00:00 AM | Track and Field
KENT, Ohio The men's track and field team returns to action May 12-14 in Athens, Ohio for the 2005 MAC Outdoor Championships. The Golden Flashes will be seeking their second straight MAC title and fifth overall. Unlike a year ago when the Golden Flashes entered as underdogs, the men will have the target on their backs this year as the favorities. Kent State boasts four returning individual champions and the entire 4x100-meter relay team that finished first a year ago.
Sprints Preview: The men will be led by the sprinting trio of Marc Johnson, Otis Jordan, Marc Mitchell. Johnson is ranked fourth in the MAC in the 100 (10.51) while Jordan is sixth (10.76). Mitchell, a 200-meter specialist, is only ranked 12th (22.05) but has placed in the 200 meters at the indoor meet. The trio along with Adrian Ghioroaie also are members of the defending 4x100-meter relay team that won last year's MAC title and are again ranked first (40.55).
Middle Distance Preview: Mike Inge leads the way in the middle distance events. Inge, the two-time defending MAC outdoor champion in the 800 meters, is ranked first (1:48.32) while former high school teammate Ray Armstrong is second at 1:50.96. Both set their marks at the Len Paddock Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich. last week placing second and sixth, respectively. In the 1500 meters, Ofer Barniv is second (3:46.77) while Inge is third (3:46.96). Distance Preview: James Sjostrom leads the distance unit. Sjostroms ranks fourth in the 10000 meters (30:27.82) and eighth in the MAC in the 5000 meters (14:33.98). Seth Hutchinson is third in the 10000 (30:04.62) while Ben Wietmarschen is fifth (31:18.57).
Hurdles Preview: Keith Roberts and Nick Ivancic lead the hurdlers. Roberts is ranked ninth in the 110-meter hurdles (14.71), but is a former MAC champ and regional qualifier. Ivancic is slated sixth in the 400-meter hurdles (53.37).
Throwing Preview: To say this is the best throwing unit in quite some time at Kent State is an understatement. Four athletes have already qualified for the NCAA Mid-East Regional and three hold the top spot in the MAC rankings. Brent Shelby is the top-ranked thrower in the discus (177-7) as he looks to claim his second straight MAC title. Shelby also stands second in the shot put after his 58-1.25 toss last weekend. Shelby has regionally qualified in each event. John Harper also is ranked fifth with a throw of 174-2. Both have qualified for the regional meet.
In the hammer throw Jaroslaw Zakrzewski has been a force be reckoned with in the MAC as he has topped the 200-foot mark four times this season and is ranked first with a personal-best distance of 204-5. Andy Nicholas also is fourth in the hammer throw (187-4). Both have qualified for the regional meet in the hammer.
Rounding out the top-ranked throwers is Phil Rickaby in the javelin (191-1), who will not compete due to injury.
Jumps/Multi-Events Preview: After going 1-2-3 in the triple jump and the long jump at the MAC indoor meet the jumpers enter the outdoor meet with huge expectations.
In the triple jump, defending MAC outdoor champ Adrian Ghioroaie, the 2004 MAC triple jump champ, enters as the top-ranked competitor (49-2.50) with Pawel Dutkiewicz fifth (45-4.25). Ghioroaie also won the MAC indoor title with Dutkiewicz placing third. Phil Rickaby was the top-ranked triple jumper, but is unable to compete due to injury.
In the long jump, Marc Mitchell will look to complete a solid career with his second-straight MAC outdoor crown in the long jump and third overall. He stands third at 24-5.50 but has a reputation for coming up huge at the MAC meets. Dutkiewicz is fifth in the long jump (23-9.50) but was a NCAA Indoor Championship particiapant in the event.
Chris Caine rounds out the stellar KSU student-athletes in the decathlon. He is second in the MAC with 6590 points and placed second at the MAC Indoor Meet.
