On the biggest stage of the year, the Bobcats did not disappoint.
Junior Bahiyjaui Allen won the shot put and junior Kari Summers won the 5,000-meter run - her second of the weekend - as Ohio finished fifth in the Mid-American Conference Championships at the Lee Jackson Track & Field Complex in Akron.
It's good to be in the top half of the MAC
coach Clay Calkins said. It's been 11 years since we've finished this high.
Ohio scored 73 points in the meet. It was the Bobcats' highest finish under Calkins and their best result since 1998, when they also finished fifth.
Akron won its fourth-consecutive team title easily, as they beat second-place Kent State by more than 40 points.
We ran to our potential this week Calkins said. This was our goal and I'm happy with everybody's performance.
Allen's throw of 16.58 meters in the shot put broke the school record, which she already owned. Summers won the 5,000-meter in a time of 17:03.23. She was also named Female Most Outstanding Track Performer.
Summers did a great job, and the award shows her hard work paying dividends, Calkins said.
The rest of the team chipped in as well.
Senior Jessie Tanner scored in her third event of the weekend as she finished sixth in the discus with a throw of 45.82 meters. Junior Cathy Udeani placed fourth in the high jump with a mark of 1.71 meters. Junior Jenielle Hunt finished seventh in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:11.40.
Senior Melissa Wiley finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles and eighth in the 400-meter hurdles with times of 14.13 seconds and 1:05.92, respectively.
For most of the team, the season is over. However, Ohio has six athletes who will continue to compete.
Allen (shot put), Summers (5,000-meter run) and Udeani (high jump) will join juniors Emily Amendola (hammer throw) and Annie Beecham (5,000-meter run) and senior Susan Plungis (javelin) in the NCAA Mideast Regional meet May 29 to 30th in Louisville, Ky.
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Sports
Vince Nairn
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