CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the 2021 Indoor Track & Field post season awards on Thursday. All awards are voted on by the head coaches in the conference, with the exception of All-MAC Teams and Freshmen Performers of the Year, which are determined on points earned at the conference championship meet.
Olivia Bechtel scored 23.5 total points for the RedHawks during the MAC Championship Meet. In addition to a 4th place 4x100m and 2nd place 4x400m, she captured MAC titles in both the 200m and 400m. She set a MAC record and school record in the 400m, running 51.65, which is now #10 in the NCAA.
Gabby Bailey won the shot put and discus throw titles at the MAC Championships on Saturday, with the latter clinching Kent State’s first team title since 2014. Bailey was dominant in the shot put and won with a season-best throw of 16.79m (55’-1”). All five of her legal attempts went at least 16.57m and no other competitor had a mark better than 15.59m. In addition to the top 2 marks by a NCAA DI competitor during the week, all 5 of Bailey’s throws were among the top 7. She took the lead on her fourth discus attempt and followed with her winning throw of 55.91m (183’-5”) in the fifth round.
Assistant Coach of the Year Nathan Fanger’s student-athletes led Kent State to the MAC Championships title by winning three of the four throwing events and totaling 54 points. Gabby Bailey and Grace Tennant went 1-2 in the discus throw and shot put for 18 points in each event, while only two other schools managed to earn that many points over the four throws combined. Bailey’s season-best shot put mark of 16.79m (55’-1”) puts her at No. 23 on the national performance list. Tennant added a title in the javelin throw and Vanessa Vodan placed fifth. Marissa Henley and Briana Wright recorded PRs in the hammer throw for 4 more points.
On the Men's side, Sean Torpy takes home the Outstanding Track Performer title, the senior won the 1500m and placed 3rd in the 800m as a part of both team sweeps. He currently has a qualifying mark in both events to the NCAA East prelim.
Buffalo's Brandon Burke won the Men’s High Jump in a mark of 2.20m/7’2.50”, tying his lifetime best at the event. His performance ranks #8 in the NCAA East, and #15 in the NCAA. He won the MAC Championships by 10cm over Akron’s Nuh Andu.
Akron assistant coach Dominika Stokowska, tallied MAC champions in the 100, 200, 400, 400 Hurdles throughout the duration of the MAC Championships. Stokowska also coached the MVP of the meet as well as the Freshman runner of the meet.
Men’s Most Outstanding Field Performer
Brandon Burke, Buffalo
Men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer
Sean Torpy, Miami
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Dominika Stokowska, Akron
Women’s Most Outstanding Field Performer
Gabrielle Bailey, Kent State
Women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer
Olivia Bechtel, Miami
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Nathan Fanger, Kent State
