CLEVELAND, OH – The Mid-American Conference (MAC) is proud to recognize the outstanding performances and contributions of its student-athletes and coaches from the 2025 MAC Outdoor Track & Field season. The following individuals have been honored for their exceptional achievements in competition and coaching.
Women’s Most Outstanding Track Performer
Emily Paupore, Central Michigan
Emily Paupore paved the way for Central Michigan at the 2025 MAC Outdoor Track and Field Championships, claiming two titles in the 3000 meter steeplechase and 5000m. The senior’s steeplechase finish of 9:57.18 broke the MAC Championships record, which previously stood for 30 years. She scored 20 of CMU’s 49 points, helping the Chippewas to their best team finish, 7th place, since 2022.
Women’s Most Outstanding Field Performer
Trista Fintel, Bowling Green
Fintel had a dominant outdoor track & field season that culminated at the MAC Championships, helping the Falcons to their first outdoor title since 1981. The graduate student transfer from Findlay became the fifth Falcon in the last six years to take the MAC title in the hammer throw. She followed it up with a victory in the shot put the next day, becoming only the second MAC thrower to ever win both the hammer throw and shot put events at the meet. Both of her best throws in each event rank in the top 25 on the NCAA East Regional qualifying list. For good measure, Fintel placed fifth in the discus at the conference meet, totaling 24 of a possible 30 points in her events.
Women’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Reggie Trotter, Bowling Green
Reggie Trotter’s sprints/jumps/multis groups were a major reason why the Falcons won their first MAC outdoor title since 1981, as they scored 58 of the team’s 130 points. Trotter coached triple jumpers Sabrina Imes and Bianca Staples to a first and third-place finish in the event, proving to be a major boost on the final day of competition. He also coached Morgan Patterson to a runner-up finish in the long jump, BGSU’s highest finisher in the event since 1998. High jumper Katherine Mendenhall tied for third and became the Falcons’ best placer in the event since 2011. Additionally, two individuals scored in sprints/hurdles (Kiersten Franklin third in 100m and fourth in 200m as well as DaMya Barker, who got third in the 100m hurdles and eighth in the 400m hurdles) and one scored in the heptathlon (Jenna Lucas). As of this submission, Imes, Staples, Patterson and Mendenhall have the marks to qualify for the NCAA East Regional, which would be the most jumpers to ever qualify for the meet from Bowling Green (Mendenhall and Patterson would be the first high jumper and long jumper to ever qualify from BGSU).
Men’s Most Outstanding Track Performer
Jaheim Jones, Kent State
Jaheim Jones captured 100m and 200m gold for the second MAC Outdoor Championship in a row. Jones recorded a season-best 10.18 seconds in the 100m prelims and then won in 10.44 seconds. His 200m-winning time of 20.73 seconds was just .01 off his fastest of the season. Jones has qualified for the NCAA East Regional meet in both events.
Men’s Most Outstanding Field Performer
Owen Wendl, Akron
Akron redshirt junior Owen Wendl captured a pair of MAC title winning the men’s discus and shot put with a pair of career-best marks. Wendl capped his championship efforts claiming the title in the men’s discus, the fourth MAC title of his Zips’ career, with a career-best mark of 200-10 (61.23m), just off the meet record of 201-9 and conference record of 205-9. His performance stands as the No. 13 mark in the United States in the discus in 2025. He opened the weekend capturing the men’s shot put for his third career league title with a career-best throw of 60-2.50 (18.35m). His effort stands as the No. 71 mark in the NCAA this season and the No. 2 effort in outdoor program history.
Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year
Michael Schober, Kent State
Michael Schober’s athletes accounted for 135.25 points while collecting six golds and five silvers at the MAC Outdoor Championships. Jaheim Jones (100m, 200m) and Ayden Bath (decathlon, 110m hurdles) led the way with titles in two events each. Kent State recorded 1-2 finishes in both the 110m hurdles and long jump. In the long jump, Amare Hall and Alexandre Malanda recorded the #2 and #3 marks on the Golden Flashes’ all-time performance list while qualifying for the NCAA East Regional meet.
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2025 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-MAC First Team
Cassidy Allen, Akron
Vanessa Horn, Akron
Joy Nwokike, Akron
Rukia Omulisia, Akron
Ayanna Stafford, Akron
Kenli Nettles, Ball State
Kylee Cubbison, Bowling Green
Trista Fintel, Bowling Green
Sabrina Imes, Bowling Green
Emily Paupore, Central Michigan
Mia Biehl, Eastern Michigan
Demetria Henderson, Eastern Michigan
Sofia Ivanko, Eastern Michigan
Josephine Oloye, Eastern Michigan
Saraiah Walkes, Eastern Michigan
Kristen Jay, Kent State
Aliesha Shaw, Kent State
Karsyn Spears, Kent State
Abby Suszek, Miami
Kamiya Dendy, Northern Illinois
Sandra Ferrari, Western Michigan
Mabinty Kebe, Western Michigan
2025 Women’s Outdoor Track & Field All-MAC Second Team
Paige Kirtz, Ball State
Jenna Oriani, Ball State
Emma Potter, Ball State
Allison Valladay, Ball State
Rachael Hoover, Bowling Green
Morgan Patterson, Bowling Green
Rachael Withrow, Bowling Green
Alimot Alowonle, Eastern Michigan
Ajah Arscott, Eastern Michigan
Kyra Buffen, Eastern Michigan
Jaeden Garraway, Eastern Michigan
Micah Martin, Eastern Michigan
Shelby Grover, Kent State
Gabrielle Hammonds, Kent State
Emily Eterovich, Miami
Allie Melchiorre, Miami
Ella Rigel, Miami
Karina James, Toledo
Lily Overton, Western Michigan
Bri’Yanna Robinson, Western Michigan
2025 Men’s Outdoor Track & Field All-MAC First Team
Mason Birch, Akron
Hunter Garretson, Akron
Bismack Kipchirchir, Akron
Moses Lekokei, Akron
Andrew Styles, Akron
Owen Wendl, Akron
Bamidele Ajayi, Eastern Michigan
Shelton Bass, Eastern Michigan
Mill Coleman III, Eastern Michigan
Lachlan Cornelius, Eastern Michigan
George Gage Eastern Michigan
Solomon King, Eastern Michigan
Jake McEachern, Eastern Michigan
Olawole Olanrewaju, Eastern Michigan
Tajay Roberts, Eastern Michigan
Gabriel Singh, Eastern Michigan
Kian Wiles, Eastern Michigan
Ayden Bath, Kent State
Amare Hall, Kent State
Jaheim Jones, Kent State
Alexandre Malanda, Kent State
Payton Shippee, Kent State
2025 Men’s Outdoor Track & Field All-MAC Second Team
Isaac Baltic, Akron
Braylyn Farrington, Akron
Lane Graham, Akron
AJ Jordan, Akron
Jalen McCoy, Akron
Jack Faldetta, Buffalo
Matt Gensel, Buffalo
Justin Kleppel, Buffalo
Sam Mellinger, Buffalo
Collin Stafford, Buffalo
Rylee VanAltstine, Buffalo
Aiden Walker, Buffalo
Brendan Hill, Eastern Michigan
Samuel Jeffery, Eastern Michigan
Andrew Knieper, Eastern Michigan
Alexander Thompson, Eastern Michigan
Connor Boland, Kent State
Beau Harkelroad, Kent State
Dylan McBride, Kent State
Charles Pawlosky, Kent State
