Kent State University
MAC Championships
Lawson Posts Record-Setting Performance to Repeat as MAC Heptathlon Champion
2/29/2020 8:05:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
AKRON, Ohio – Redshirt senior TJ Lawson set a new MAC Championships heptathlon record Saturday at the Stile Athletics Field House in Akron, finishing in first place with an overall score of 5,723 points.
Lawson's score surpassed a record that had previously been set in 2014 by the University of Buffalo's Mike Morgan (5,704). Junior Jacob Mally came in second place with 5,227 points. This is the second year in a row the duo has finished atop the standings in the heptathlon.
Redshirt senior Walter Petzel set a new personal record in the shot put. Petzel earned his first-place finish launching the ball 56'-4.5". Redshirt sophomore Ryan Demaline came in fourth place, throwing 53'-1.5".
The Golden Flashes also had two athletes set personal records in their running events. Sophomore Nate Cousino set his in the 800-meter run, finishing in 1:51.97 and coming in third place. Sophomore Drew Johnson secured a fourth-place finish, completing his 1-mile run in 4:09.85.
Kent State had seven other athletes place in the top-6 earning points towards the Flashes overall score.
Freshman Jaheim Jones and sophomore Asa Hodrick finished back-to-back in the 60-meter dash. Jones took third place (6.84) crossing the finish line two-hundredths of a second before Hodrick (6.86). Jones and Hodrick also both placed in the 200-meter dash. Hodrick finished in third, completing the sprint in 21.17, while Jones came in sixth crossing the finish line in 21.38.
Redshirt sophomore Korie Davis II and junior Zavien Parker finished in fifth and sixth, respectively, in the 400-meter dash. Davis II clocked in at 48.80, while Parker crossed the line in 48.83.
The 1600-meter relay team composed of freshman Justin Dwyer, Hodrick, Parker, and Davis II also earned a third-place finish with a time of 3:14.69.
In the field events, junior Anthony Milliner took third place in the triple jump (49'-7.25").
Freshman Jack McElligott and redshirt senior Brad Jones both cleared a height of 6'-7" in the high jump. Jones completed the height on his first try, earning him a fourth-place finish, while McElligott cleared the bar on his third try, securing him fifth place.
The Golden Flashes finished in third place overall, totaling 106 points.
Kent State athletes that finish in the top-16 nationally in their respected events will qualify for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships, which will be held in Albuquerque, N.M. from March 13-14.
Final Standings
1. Akron: 165.50
2. Eastern Michigan: 142
3. Kent State: 106
4. Buffalo: 77.50
5. Central Michigan: 34
Players Mentioned
