MAC Men's Track Athlete of the Week
Amir Willis, Akron
Jr., Cincinnati, Ohio
Akron junior Amir Willis finished first in the men's 100 meters at the Roadrunner Invitational on Saturday, April 17, in a time of 10.18 (W). Additionally, he ran the second leg of the winning 4x400 relay in a time of 3:14.02. Willis' time is the fastest in the Mid-American Conference this season, while the Zips registered the top 4x400 relay effort in the league this spring.
MAC Men's Field Athlete of the Week
William Gross, Akron
So.Newfane, N.Y.
Akron sophomore William Gross registered a school-record mark of 221-6 (67.52m) to capture the men's hammer to lead the Zips' efforts on the second day of the Roadrunner Invitational on Friday, April 16. Gross recorded the best mark in the Mid-American Conference in six years, since Matthias Tayala of Kent State recorded a throw of 234-9 (71.56m) at the 2015 NCAA Outdoor Championships. Gross bested his own school record in the men's hammer unleashing a throw of 221-6 (67.52m), the No. 16 mark in the NCAA this season, to win the event. His effort is tops in the MAC this season.
MAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week
Ashley Tutt, NIU
Junior, Channahon, Ill./Minooka
Ashley Tutt ran a school-record time of 33:24.96 in the 10,000 meters at the Virginia Challenge, finishing second behind only Syracuse's Amanda Vestri, who set meet and facility records with a time of 32:43.15. Tutt's new school record time bettered the previous mark of 33:58.77, which she also owned and set at the NCAA Preliminary Round on May 24, 2018. Tutt's time ranks 14th nationally this season.
MAC Women's Field Athlete of the Week
Grace Tennant, Kent State
Redshirt Junior, Caistor Centre, Ontario/South Lincoln
Grace Tennant won the shot put with a personal-best mark of 16.31m (53'-6.25") at the UB Invitational on Saturday afternoon. Tennant’s MAC-leading throw ranks 33rd in the country this season and moves her to No. 7 on Kent State’s all-time outdoor performance list. She also placed second in the discus throw with a mark of 50.19m (164’-8”).
Other Nominees
Jonathan Surdej, Buffalo
Sophomore, Lancaster, N.Y. / Lancaster
Jonathan Surdej finished second overall, first as a collegiate athlete, in the men’s shot put. He recorded as outdoor personal best toss of 16.61-meters (54’-06.00”). Surdej ranks second in the MAC.
Chris Devaney, Eastern Michigan
Redshirt Sophomore, New Plymouth, New Zealand/New Plymouth
Redshirt sophomore Chris Devaney (New Plymouth, New Zealand-New Plymouth) broke the sub-14 minute plateau in the 5000m with a personal-best 13:59.12 to take second place in the race. Devaney's time ranks second in the MAC behind teammate Baldvin Magnusson.
Jaheim Jones, Kent State
Redshirt Freshman, Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Jaheim Jones sprinted to victory in the 100m and 4x100 relay at the UB Invitational on Saturday. Jones started the day with a strong anchor leg in the 4x100, helping his team win by almost 1.5 seconds and post the second-fastest time in the MAC this year (41.09). The redshirt freshman added a win in the 100m in 10.87 seconds. His time ranks fourth in the conference despite running into a 1.8 headwind.
Scott Loforte, Buffalo
Junior, Canandaigua, N.Y. / Canandaigua Academy
Scott Loforte won the men’s 5,000-meter run at the UB Invitational. He ran a personal best time of 14:23.41, which was over one minute better than his previous outdoor time. He is currently ranked fourth in the MAC. His time is now second all-time in UB history.
Tajah Haley, Ohio
Senior, Washington, Pa. (Washington)
Senior Tajah Haley (Washington, Pa.) produced a first-place finish in the javelin throw with a career-best toss of 44.00 meters to highlight the day for the Ohio track & field team at the USC Open last Saturday (April 17) in Columbia, S.C.
Promise Cross, Toledo
Freshman, Morehead, Kentucky
Freshman Promise Cross had three personal-best performances at the EKU Rick Erdmann Twilight this weekend. In the long jump, Cross finished first with a distance of 5.41m. Cross also competed in the Javelin throw for the first time, and threw for a distance of 25.36m. On the track, she finished first in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.99 and ranks 19th in the MAC.
Samantha Hjelma, Buffalo
Graduate Student, Glenville, N.Y. / Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
Samantha Hjelmar won the women’s high jump with a season best height of 1.67-meters (5’-05.75”). She currently ranks sixth in the MAC.
Erin Howard, Central Michigan
Senior, Lansing, Mich./Sexton HS
Central Michigan's Erin Howard turned in a standout performance at the Indiana State Gibson Invitational. Howard won the discus with a throw measuring 52.49 meters and placed second in the shot put with a toss of 15.92 meters. Both throws rank second among Mid-American Conference throwers in the 2021 outdoor season. Her discus throw is the 50th best in the nation this season, and her shot put ranks 55th.
Jazmyn Smith, NIU
Junior, Pinecrest, Fla./Gulliver Prep
Jazmyn Smith posted a top-10 finish in the long jump at Baylor's Michael Johnson Invitational. Smith's top leap of the day measured 5.87 meters (19-03.25), on her third attempt of the competition, to claim an eighth-place finish.
Janay Hall, Eastern Michigan
Junior, Fayetteville, N.C./South View
Janay Hall (Fayetteville, N.C.-South View) registered two career wins with victories in the 800m (2:13.31) and the 5000m races(18:06.62). For Hall, her 5000m run time marked a new personal-high. Additionally, her 800m time is good for eighth in the conference.
Amya Clarke, Akron
Jr., Christ Church, St. Kitts and Nevis
Akron junior Amya Clarke captured the women's 100 and 200 meters crossing the line in 11.50 and 24.18, respectively, to headline the Zips' efforts on the final day of the Roadrunner Invitational on Saturday, April 17. Clarke's performance in the 100 meters represented the second-fastest time in outdoor program history and top time in the Mid-American Conference this season.
Priscilla Faa, Buffalo
Senior, Jamaica, N.Y. / John Bowne
Priscilla Faa ran a personal best in the 200-meter dash with a winning time of 25.07-seconds. She would also win the women’s 100-meter dash in 12.44-seconds. Faa also anchored the winning 4x100 relay team where they finished in 46.89-seconds.
Semra Karaslan, Toledo
Junior, Kirikkale, Turkey
Semra Karaslan had another outstanding performance this weekend in the 3000m Steeplechase. Karaslan ran a personal-best time of 10:12.37 at the EKU Rick Erdmann Twilight on Friday. She currently ranks first in the MAC for the outdoor season and 31st in the NCAA. She also ran in the 5000m with a personal-best time of 16:45.03 ranking second in the MAC.
Savannah Nevels, Bowling Green
Sr.Streetsboro, Ohio/Streetsboro
Savannah Nevels won three events at Indiana State's Gibson Invitational and was a member of the school-record 400 relay team. That squad ran a 45.70 to break the previous mark of 45.72, set in 2015. She also ran a wind-aided time of 11.58 seconds in the finals of the 100 after running a wind legal 11.90 in the prelims to win that event. Nevels finished out with a time of 24.10 seconds to win the 200 as well. She ranks among the top 4 in the MAC in all three events, including second in the 100.
