Women claim fourth straight MAC Outdoor team title, men earn runner-up honors
5/11/2013 12:00:00โฏAM | Track and Field, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
AKRON, Ohio โ Freshman Dior Delophont (Nancy, France) won two events on the final day (May 11) of the 2013 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships as the Kent State women's team won its fourth straight team title with 169 points at the University of Akron's Lee R. Jackson Track and Field Complex.ย The host Zips finished second with 119, while Buffalo was third with 109.5 in the 12-team field.
The Golden Flashes were runners-up on the men's side for the third straight season with 183 points as freshman Wayne Gordon (Amherst, N.Y.) led the way with a pair of individual titles on the final day.ย Akron won the team title with 195 and Eastern Michigan finished third with 142.5 in the six-team field.
Kent State director of track and field Bill Lawson was named MAC Women's Coach of the Year for the fourth straight season.
Delophont won the triple jump with a leap of 41 feet, 8 inches, and the high jump at 5-10.5.ย The two wins give Delophont a combined five MAC titles this season (indoor and outdoor). ย
Delophont was named the women's most valuable performer.
Freshman Hannah Fleck (Celina, Ohio) won gold in the 1,500-meter run in four minutes, 24.22 seconds.ย Fleck also placed seventh in the 800 in 2:13.29, while senior Melinda Sawnor (Rochester, N.Y.) finished third in 2:09.02.
The triple jump was a key event for the women as senior Keri Dantley (Imperial, Pa.) finished second at 40-6.25 and sophomore Roseanne Erickson (Alexandria, Minn.) placed fourth at 39-3.
The Flashes also picked up major points in the discus as freshman Danniel Thomas (Shrewsbery, Jamaica) placed second at 172-8 and junior Joh'vonnie Mosley (Youngstown, Ohio) finished fourth at 163-5.
Sophomore Ann Marie Duffus (North Clarendon, Jamaica) added key points with her second-place finish in the 100 hurdles in 13.69 seconds.
The Flashes also received solid performances in the sprints as junior Shanequa Williams (Akron, Ohio) placed sixth in the 400 in 54.97 and sixth in the 200 in 24.30.ย Sophomore Chanitta Westbrooks (Cleveland, Ohio) was eighth in the 100 in 12.02 and fourth in the 200 in 24.06.
Gordon swept the sprints on the men's side, winning the 100 in 10.48 and the 200 in 21.00.ย The Flashes also had senior Brandon Bailey (Pittsburgh, Pa.) win the 400 in 47.47 and place second in the 200 in 21.53.
Senior Michael Heller (Stow, Ohio), who won the 10,000 title on Day 1, added the 5,000 crown in 14:39.72. ย Heller was named the men's most outstanding track athlete.
The Flashes also had an individual champ in sophomore Jacob Swords (Akron, Ohio) in the 800 in 1:49.93.ย Swords then joined Bailey, junior Laron Brown (Dayton, Ohio) and sophomore Miles Dunlap (McDonald, Ohio) to win the 4x400 relay in 3:11.11.
Kent State also received key points in the discus as sophomore Matthias Tayala (McDonald, Ohio), the hammer throw champ on Day 2, placed second at 176-10 and freshman Reggie Jagers (Cleveland, Ohio) was third at 168-1.
Click here to read the Day 1 recap.
Click here to read the Day 2 recap.
2013 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships โ Final Team Standings
ย
Men:
1. Akron โ 195 points
2. Kent State - 183
3. Eastern Michigan โ 142.5
4. Miami (Ohio) - 125
5. Buffalo โ 97.5
6. Central Michigan - 67
Women:
1. Kent State - 169
2. Akron - 119
3. Buffalo โ 109.5
4. Miami (Ohio) - 105
5. Eastern Michigan โ 82.5
6. Western Michigan - 72
7. Toledo - 49
8. Central Michigan โ 41.5
9. Ohio โ 33.5
10. Bowling Green - 23
11. Northern Illinois โ 11
12. Ball State โ 4
2013 MAC Special Awards
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Most Valuable:
Men's - Nicholas Banke, Akron
Women's - Dior Delophont, Kent State
Most Outstanding Track Performance:
Men's - Michael Heller, Kent State
Women's - Layne Baggett, Miami
ย
Most Outstanding Field Performance:
Men's โ Shawn Barber, Akron
Women's โ Brooke Pleger, Bowling Green
Coach of the Year:
Men's โ Dennis Mitchell, Akron
Women's โ Bill Lawson, Kent State
ย ย
