Kent State track and field adds to the record books

Scott Lendak

Men’s Track and Field

Freshman pole-vaulter Christian Champen and sophomore jumper AJ Stevens, secured victories as the Kent State men’s track and field team concluded the Crimson Tide Invitational.

Champen captured a personal-record with a mark of 5.10 meters in the pole vault. His mark ranks fifth all-time in Kent State history. Stevens jumped 15.35 meters, earning the triple jump title and moving into seventh in the Kent State record book.

Champen also competed in the long jump, taking seventh-place with a mark of 7.04 meters. Sophomore long jumper Samory Fraga highlighted the Flashes in the long jump as he finished in sixth place with a distance of 7.12 meters. Fraga also finished seventh in the triple jump at 14.02 meters.

Senior thrower Reggie Jagers earned second place in both the hammer toss, with a throw of 62.05 meters, and discus, with a throw of 62.05 meters. 

Sophomore distance runner Brandon Avers recorded a personal-best time of 14:51.04 to finish fifth overall in the 5,000 meters.

Junior thrower David Paliscak took third-place and set a new personal-record in the shot put with a throw of 17.67 meters, which was good enough for ninth all-time in Kent State history.

Freshman mid-distance runner Clark Bookman competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase for the first time in his collegiate career. He placed third in the race with a time of 9:30.34.

The team’s next scheduled meet is in the Northeast Ohio Quad hosted by the University of Akron, April 14-15.

Women’s Track and Field

Senior thrower Danniel Thomas captured both the shot put and discus titles for the Kent State women’s track and field team at the Crimson Tide Invitational.

Thomas broke the Kent State record in the shot put with a throw of 18.13 meters. She also placed first with a discus throw of 58.03 meters. Her mark in the shot put ranks second in the nation, and her discus throw ranks fourth.

Junior pole-vaulter Sam Tollerud placed second in the pole vault with a season-best mark of 4.07 meters. Sophomore pole-vaulter Maria Horrigan took fifth place with a mark of 3.97 meters.

The 4×400-meter relay team of junior sprinter Tyler Williams, senior sprinter Jorian Ordway, senior mid-distance runner Taylor Farquhar and senior sprinter Lauren Burnett also moved into second-place in the Kent State record book as they recorded a time of 3:40.43 to take third-place in the event. 

Freshman hurdler Mi’Angel Daniels placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.87 seconds.

Freshman mid-distance runner Swann Phelippeau captured sixth-place in the 1,500-meter in her first collegiate outdoor meet with a time of 4:28.88, which moves her into seventh all-time in Kent State history.

The team’s next scheduled meet is in the Northeast Ohio Quad hosted by the University of Akron, April 14-15.

Scott Lendak is a sports reporter, contact him at [email protected].