Kent State University
MAC Outdoor Championships
Kent State Captures MAC Men’s Outdoor T&F Championship
5/14/2022 7:15:00 PM | Men's Track & Field
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Kent State men's track and field team added 110 points to its score on Saturday to run away from the field at the 2022 Mid-American Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The Golden Flashes totaled 196 points, 41 more than runner-up Eastern Michigan, to capture their first outdoor conference title since 2004. It was the first men's outdoor championship under the leadership of Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Bill Lawson, who was named MAC Coach of the Year.
Nolan Landis got the day started by winning the discus throw with a mark of 169'-9". Jake Wickey posted the best finish of his career in the event at the conference meet, finishing fourth with a throw of 158'-6".
Action on the track began with gold in the 4x100 meter relay, as the team of Mondo Colome, Asa Hodrick, Korie Davis II and Jaheim Jones crossed the finish line in 40.62 seconds. Hodrick added an individual victory with a personal-best time of 10.37 seconds in the 100-meter dash and finished second in the 200-meter dash in 20.75. Jones also ran a PR in the 100m, taking third with a time of 10.49 and clocked a 21.13 for fourth in the 200m. Davis II placed fifth in the 400-meter hurdles with a PR of 54.40.
Alexandre Malanda placed second in the triple jump with a wind-aided PR of 51'-8.25". Malanda previously finished fifth Friday in the long jump and received the Freshman Field Performer of the Year award following the meet. Anthony Milliner recorded a PR of 51'-1" for fourth in the triple jump.
Jonathan Solomon was the final Flash to earn All-MAC honors Saturday, taking second in the 400-meter dash in a PR of 47.58.
Baidy Ba, Joe Farley and Alexander Shields each captured third place in their respective races. Ba ran a time of 3:48.56 in the 1500-meter run, Farley recorded a time of 14:47.08 in the 5,000-meter run and Shields clocked a wind-aided PR of 14.01 in the 110-meter hurdles. Solomon, Quintin Cooks, Hodrick and Kyle Sommer added a third-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay with a time of 3:14.16.
The Flashes received fourth place finishes from Jack McElligott and Ethan Yost. McElligott cleared 6'-6.75" in the high jump and Yost completed the 800-meter run in 1:50.80.
Jacob Mally earned points in his third and fourth events of the championships, placing fifth in the high jump (6'-4.75") and 110m hurdles (14.39).
Kent State will continue postseason competition with qualifying student-athletes in action at the NCAA East Preliminary in Bloomington, Indiana from May 25-28.
Final Standings
1. Kent State – 196
2. Eastern Michigan – 155
3. Akron – 128
4. Miami – 120
5. Buffalo – 48
Coach of the Year: Bill Lawson, Kent State
Most Valuable Performer: Baldvin Magnusson, Eastern Michigan
Freshman Track Performer of the Year: Tal Hamel, Buffalo
Freshman Field Performer of the Year: Alexandre Malanda, Kent State
Players Mentioned
