The Kent State track and field team ventured across the Ohio-Pennsylvania border to compete at the Penn State National Open in University Park, PA. The event took place from Jan. 31 to Feb. 1.
The Flashes almost saw several program records go the way of the dinosaur this weekend, as junior Karsyn Spears ran a 2:50.93 in the women’s 1,000 meter run in the Flashes only event win of the meet. Spears’ time was the third fastest in program history.
“She’s had consistent training,” coach Nathan Fanger said of Spears. “We have a new distance coach, and she’s brought in more regularity in our training.”
Junior Keeli Dunaway finished second in the women’s triple jump with a mark of 41’-4.25” on her final attempt. Dunaway’s mark sits at seventh on Kent State’s all-time indoor track record list.
Senior Zamen Siyoum posted a personal record of 7.98 seconds in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, which was good for third in the event. Siyoum’s time is also the sixth-fastest in KSU track and field history.
“Zamen’s got a little bit of juice in his legs,” Fanger said. “He’s been able to attack because I think he’s a little more confident in what he’s doing.”
Sophomore Amryne Chilton built on her strong performance from the last meet with a mark of 7.52 seconds in the women’s 60-meter dash. Chilton’s mark was fifth-best in the event and just .06 from the all-time school record.
It was junior Amare Hall who put up the best finish for a Flash during the meet, with a men’s long jump mark of 23’-11.5”, which was good enough for second. Senior Alexandre Malanda, who set Kent State’s all-time record in the men’s triple jump last meet, set a PR in the long jump with a mark of 23’-5.25”.
Two KSU weight throwers placed in the top 10 with PR’s of their own, as redshirt junior Donovan Crawford took fourth at 64’-0.25”, while his freshman counterpart Jeremiah Newsom launched a mark of 58’-7.50”, good for ninth.
Redshirt sophomore Charles Pawlosky set his indoor PR with a fifth place mark of 55’-8.25”.
The final top-10 finish for Kent State was sophomore Shelby Grover in the women’s high jump. Grover placed eighth with a PR of 5’-5”.
The Flashes will return to action Friday when the team travels to Ashland to compete in the Jud Logan Light Giver Open. This meet is the first of three meets the Flashes will compete in before the team sets its eyes on the Mid-American Conference Indoor Championships at the end of February.
“The takeaway this weekend for us as a coaching staff was ‘how do you get the kids to get a little bit of swag and pop going?’” Fanger said.
Gage Wellman is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or @GageWellmanKSTV on X.