Eleven Flashes Earn MAC's Distinguished Scholar Athlete Honor
5/8/2019 2:42:00 PM | General, Wrestling, Gymnastics, Men's Track & Field, Women's Track & Field
CLEVELAND - Eleven Golden Flashes from four Kent State teams were named Mid-American Conference Distinguished Scholar Athletes Wednesday. In its fifth year, the Distinguished Scholar Athlete award represents the 'best of the best' as voted on by faculty athletic representatives at MAC institutions, chosen from winter sport Academic All-MAC Teams. Men's indoor track & field led the way for the Flashes with five selections.
Gymnastics
Dara Williams, Senior, 3.907 GPA, Psychology (Bloomington, Ill.)
Abby Fletcher, Sophomore, 3.775 GPA, Fashion Merchandising (Oradell, N.J.)
Men's Indoor Track & Field
Joshua Allen, Sophomore, 3.980 GPA, Mathematics (Westerville, Ohio)
Kevin Jones, Junior, 4.0 GPA, Criminology and Justice Studies (Delaware, Ohio)
TJ Lawson, Junior, 3.778 GPA, Sports Administration/Business Management (Stow, Ohio)
Walter Petzel, Junior, 3.799 GPA, Construction Management (Kingston, Ohio)
Justin Prack, Sophomore, 3.798 GPA, Accounting (Springfield, Ohio)
Women's Indoor Track & Field
Rachel Banks, Sophomore, 3.959 GPA, Nursing (Chardon, Ohio)
Olivia Davis, Senior, 3.947 GPA, Chemistry (Kettering, Ohio)
Nicole Yeargin, Junior, 3.630 GPA, Construction Management (Bowie, Md.)
Wrestling
Tim Rooney, Junior, 3.833 GPA, Exercise Science (Columbus, Ohio)
Men's indoor track & field athletes T.J. Lawson and Walter Petzel and gymnast Dara Williams all became three-time Distinguished Scholar Athletes. Petzel placed fifth in the shot put at MAC Championships and his personal best throw of 56-0 ranked fifth in conference for the season.
Lawson won the heptathlon at the 2019 MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships. His season-best 5,427 points in the heptathlon ranked 27th in NCAA and his season-best high jump of 6-9 ranked third in the conference.
Williams was an All-MAC Second Team selection, recording the best average in the MAC on bars (9.809) and ranking second on vault (9.789). She was one of just three MAC competitors with a top-six national qualifying scores on multiple events. Williams recorded nine individual event titles on the season, including six first-place finishes in MAC competition.
Eight other Flashes were first-time selections:
Abby Fletcher had success on vault, beam and floor, earning a spot as an individual in the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional. She was one of 11 MAC gymnasts who ranked in the top-15 in multiple events and was the top scorer (331.850) for Kent State.
Justin Prack placed eighth in 1-mile run at the MAC Championships with a personal-best time of 4:20.68. He was also a member of Kent State's distance medley relay team at the MAC Championships that finished fourth.Â
Joshua Allen competed in both the 1-mile and 3,000 meter runs.
Kevin Jones placed fourth in the 800-meter run at MAC Championships. He was also a member of the distance medley relay team that placed fourth and the 4x400-meter relay team that finished fourth at the MAC Championships.
Rachel Banks placed second in the 800-meter run at the MAC Championships. Her personal-best time of 2:10.16 in the 800 ranks 10th in KSU history. Banks was also a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that clocked the ninth-fastest time in KSU history (3:45.08).
Olivia Davis competed in both the 1-mile and 800 meter runs.
Nicole Yeargin broke Kent State's program record to win the 200-meter dash at the MAC Championships. She also recorded a personal-best of 54.52 in 400-meter dash, which ranks second in school history. Yeargin won the 200-meter dash four times throughout the season. She also claimed victories in the 400 and the 60 meters.
Tim Rooney placed third at the MAC Wrestling Championships, earning an automatic qualifying spot to the NCAA Championships. He won a 133-pound title at the Cougar Clash and placed third at the Navy Classic. Rooney also placed third at the Clarion Open and finished the season with 24 victories.
Distinguished Scholar Athletes must have a 3.50 GPA or higher. Complete MAC Release
Kent State's 11 winter selections tied for the third most in the conference. Â This summer, the MAC will announce Distinguished Scholar Athletes from the remaining eight spring sports sponsored by the conference.
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Players Mentioned
