Indoor Track Update 19

Feb. 27, 2021

Akron's Jacqueline Pokuaah took three wins in her first ever Mid American Conference championship meet over the weekend, hosted by Central Michigan University. The junior college transfer won the triple jump (12.42), long jump (6.08) and 60-meter hurdles (8.59). Pokuaah competed in the 60 meters as well where she placed seventh. She scored 32 points for the runner-up Akron Zips who finished second overall to the Northern Illinois Huskies.

Northern Illinois junior Kimone Hines stole the show in the 60 meters when she bested the defending champion. Hines finished the race at 7.45, last year's champ Alyson Davis of Eastern Michigan ran a time of 7.50. During the prelims Davis had the top time of 7.53. Hines had the fourth best qualifying time at 7.56.

Hines had the best prelim time in the 200 meters (24.32) but struggled to finish the final at 35.60. The 200 meters was won by Savannah Nevels who crossed the finish line at 24.65. Nevels had the best night among sprinters with a third place finish in the 60 meters (7.51), to go along with another win in the 1,600-meter relay (3:45.85).

The Bowling Green championship foursome that included Nevels, featured Ryen Draper, Chasatea Brown and Iyanna Ross. They finished in front of Northern Illinois' second place squad (3:50.15) of Jahnetta Jones, Kennedy Crawford, Janae Dean and Kaitlyn Lewis. Ball State's team of Alexis Thigpen, Kennedy Batts, Kayla Jones and Karlie Zumbro finished third (3:50.55). Going back to Bowling Green, Ross also won the open 400 meters giving her two championships in her two events.

The pentathlon was won by Sarah Bruns of Miami. The senior scored 3,545 points which was just five points ahead of last season's champ Sara Foster, a junior from Akron. Eastern Michigan's Morgan Iverson placed third with 3,484 points. In 2020, Bruns was a third place finisher while Iverson was sixth.

Eastern Michigan got a first place tie when junior Nina Ward and senior Quintella Johnson shared the gold in the high jump competition. Both jumpers hit a mark of 1.69 without a miss before being unable to clear the height of 1.73. Northern Illinois got the third place finish in the event when junior Taylor Ramsey also jumped 1.69, but missed once at 1.65 and another time at 1.69 before clearing the height on her second jump.

Johnson won the Mid American Conference high jump title for a second straight year. She actually has won four indoor conference championships in that event. During her freshman and sophomore seasons Johnson won titles in the SWAC as a jumper for Texas Southern. Ward made a drastic jump from 13th in 2020 to the top spot this season.

Northern Illinois won this year's team title after a runner-up finish last year. The Huskies got a significant points from a promising group of freshmen, which included Scout Regular who placed second in the 60-meter hurdles (8.63). Another freshman Skylynn Blue (24.93) placed third in the 200 meters. A third freshman Kennedy Crawford placed second in the 400 meters (56.58), while junior Victoria Robinson was a runner-up in the 800 meters (2:12.88).

The champions Most Valuable performer was Ashley Tutt. The junior took home wins in the mile (4:49.09), 3,000 meters (9:23.64) and 5,000 meters (17:14.00). Last season she fell short of the three-race sweep when she won the 3,000 and 5000 meters but dropped the mile. The three wins were her first of the season.

Team Results: Northern Illinois 127, Akron 104, Bowling Green 86, Eastern Michigan 77, Central Michigan 60, Kent State 54, Miami 53.5, Buffal 21.5, Toledo 21.5, Western Michigan 16, Ohio 12.