Tune up provides Flashes extra experience heading into MAC Championship

Junior Dairius Ragland prepares to jump over the hurdle during the 60 meter hurdles at the Kent State Tune Up on Saturday. Ragland finished fifth with a time of 8.35 seconds. 

Kent State had 16 athletes finish in the top five in the Kent State Tune Up.

The event — which featured 38 different Division II schools — was held to prepare for next week’s MAC Championship meet.

The women’s team was highlighted by junior Jaimie Adams ,who took the lone victory for Kent State recording a career-best time of 17 minutes 53 seconds in the 5,000 meters.

Freshman Kamya Lapsley took second in the 800 meters with a time of 2:18, and sophomore Benja Duff also took second in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.95 seconds.

In the pole vault, senior Maria Horrigan took runner-up and finished with a height of 12 feet 7.5 inches. Junior Ally Thompson followed with a fourth-place and finished with a judge’s mark of the same height.

Sophomore Grace Tennant placed second in the shot put with a toss of 49 feet 10.5 inches, while freshman Gabby Bailey took third with a mark of 49 feet 3.75 inches.

Rounding out the women’s team is a third place finish from freshman Angelique Wong in the 200 meter with a time of 25.40.

On the men’s side, junior Christian Champen took second in the pole vault and reached 16 feet 7.25 inches. Junior Mitchell Kubicki finished fourth with a career-best mark of 16 feet 1.25 inches.

Sophomore Jake Wickey took third in the shot put and threw 65 feet 5 inches. Rounding out the men’s team was a fifth-place finish from junior Dairius Ragland in the 60-meter hurdles. He finished the event in 8.35 seconds.

Kent State track and field rounds out the indoor season next weekend when it hosts the MAC Championships at the KSU Fieldhouse. Five track members hold first place in the MAC Conference in their respective events and are gearing for a contested weekend.

John Conley is a sports reporter. Contact him at [email protected].