Kristen Jay Repeats as Javelin Champ on MAC Outdoor T&F Championships Day 1
5/14/2026 8:48:00 PM | Women's Track & Field
MUNCIE, Ind. – Kent State's Kristen Jay won the javelin throw for the second year in a row as the 2026 Mid-American Conference Women's Track and Field Championship began on Thursday.
Jay's winning mark of 163'-2" was more than 16 feet further than the rest of the field and the best mark at the meet since 2019. The sophomore is the first back-to-back champion in the event since former Golden Flash Sara Oczypok won the event in 2012 and 2013.
The Golden Flashes scored in two of the other three scored events on the opening day of action. Noel Frye placed fourth in the hammer throw with a mark of 177'-1" and Kennedy Landrus was right behind in fifth with a throw of 175'-2". Kyla Taress tied for eighth in the pole vault with a height of 12'-2".
Kent State had three athletes score more than 3,000 points during heptathlon action. Matilde Carboncini (3,140) sits third in the event table, while Matilde Morbin (3,040) is fifth and Alexa Nestor (3,018) is sixth.
The Flashes had three student-athletes advance to Saturday finals in running events. Amryne Chilton and Laila Eiland qualified in the 200-meter dash, while Marinna Atanmo advanced in the 400-meter hurdles. Atanmo's qualifying time of 59.30 seconds is the fifth fastest in school history.
Competition resumes at 12:30 a.m. on Friday with the heptathlon long jump.
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Day 1 Standings
1. Akron – 60.5
2. Miami – 29
3. Kent State – 19.5
4. Ohio – 13
t5. UMass – 8
t5. Toledo – 8
7. Western Michigan – 5
t8. Central Michigan – 3
t8. Buffalo – 3
t10. Bowling Green – 2
t10. Ball State – 2
t10. Eastern Michigan – 2
13. Northern Illinois – 1
