Jan. 31, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format | Akron Open Schedule

ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio will get a chance to compare itself with 29 different teams when the Zips' annual Akron Open begins on Friday evening at the Stile Athletics Field House.

The Bobcats will compete in the Gold Division along with teams from universities such as Marshall, Ohio State, Akron, Youngstown State, Bucknell, Winthrop and Duquesne. The Akron Open will consist of two phases to accommodate the nearly 1,100 athletes and 29 schools represented over the two days.

The highlight of the weekend is the Gold Division events, which starts at 3 pm on Saturday men's and women's pole vault and concludes at 5:45 pm with the 4x400 meter relays.

Spectators both Friday and Saturday should enter the Stile Field House via the Student Recreation Center. Admission is $6 for adults and $4 for children.

Marquee Match-Ups

There will be a couple of excellent match-ups awaiting Ohio athletes at the Akron Open. None more so than the women's shot put and weight throw, where two-time MAC Field Athlete of the Week Stevi Large will look to defend her home turf. Large currently holds the longest distances in the MAC in both events so far this season.

Ohio's Bahiyjaui Allen holds the third best shot put toss this season, with a mark of 48 feet, .50 inches. Large's MAC best throw sailed 52 feet, 5.50 inches. In the weight throw, Large holds the MAC lead with a hurl of 69 feet, 2.25 inches, which qualifies her automatically for the NCAA Nationals.

Ohio's best toss in the weight throw competition is 54 feet, 11.25 inches by Jessie Tanner, which is currently eighth in the conference. The 3,000 meters should also be a tight race with Ohio's Carime Reinhart, with the sixth fastest time in the MAC and Akron's Carol Ackerly, currently holding the fifth fastest time in the MAC, scheduled to compete against one another.

Ohio in the MAC Top-10

Name                   Event       Mark          MAC Rank

Bahiyjaui Allen:     Shot Put   48-00.50    Third     

Carime Reinhart:  3,000M     10:06.61    Sixth

Jessie Tanner:      Weight     54-11.25    Eighth    

Melissa Wiley:       Shot Put   43-09.00    10th      

Kendra Churchill:   5,000M     18:57.98    10th

MAC Track and Field Athletes of the Week

Track Athletes

Jan. 28: Patrice Coney - Buffalo

Jan. 22: Andrea Bryson - Kent State

Jan. 14: Patrice Coney - Buffalo

Field Athletes

Jan. 28: Stevi Large - Akron

Jan. 22: Meagan Guenther - Northern Illinois

Jan. 14: Stevi Large - Akron

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Joe Waltasti is the track and field contact in the Ohio media relations office. He can be reached via email at waltasti@ohio.edu.