The Kent State Track and Field team returned to action over the weekend, trending upward as they hit the halfway point of their year. They totaled nine top-three finishes at the Meyo Invitational while navigating a stretch of the season marked by illness and injury.
The Flashes were led by a pair of strong performances by juniors Ayden Bath and Sean Callahan Jr, continuing a pattern of consistency on the podium. Bath won the men’s 60-meter hurdles in 7.83 seconds, a time that now ranks fourth all-time in program history. Callahan Jr. followed up with his own victory with a 6.75 second 60-meter dash win, his second of the year.
Senior Amare Hall placed second in the long jump, going 24’-4.50.” Freshman Luigi Case placed fourth in the same long jump with a 24’-0.75.”
While the results in the meet were heavily encouraging, Kent State Track and Field director Nathan Fanger emphasized the importance of perspective of moving forward with the season.
“It’s still the middle of the season,” Fanger said. “You don’t want to get too high mentally and think this is the best you can do, but you also don’t want to get too down on yourself.”
Heading over to the hurdles, the women also shook up the competition. Redshirt senior Gabrielle Hammonds delivered another standout performance in the 60-meter hurdles, finishing second with a personal-best time that places her fifth all-time in program history. Fanger pointed to Hammonds’ performance as a reflection of the competitive training environment within the hurdle group.
“When they’re competing against each other every day in practice,” Fanger said. “It prepares them for a much higher level when it counts.”
The Flashes racked up four third-place finishes as well, highlighted by junior Amryne Chilton’s personal-best 54.91 in the women’s 400-meter dash, now fourth-fastest in school history. Sophomore Micah Coates added a season-best 48.16 in the men’s 400-meter, while sophomore Ryan Gruss sprinted 6.80 in the 60-meter dash. The men’s 4×400 relay squad consisting of freshman Evan Graessle, Coates, and juniors Connor Boland and Owen Miller showed out. Miller placed third with a conference-leading 3:14.97.
The weekend did not come without challenges, as several athletes were limited or unavailable due to illness and injury.
“We’ve had kids dealing with the flu, mono, and concussions,” Fanger said. “If this happens going into a conference, you’re really in trouble.”
Beyond the results and the adversity, the two-day meet served as an important road test, requiring a lot of competition to adjust to travel, unfamiliar settings and longer competition days. This was the Flashes first two-day tournament of the season, with their next this Friday.
“When you’re on the road, you’re not sleeping in your own bed, you’re eating different food, and you still have to be ready to compete,” Fanger said. “Those small details matter.”
Coming up for the Golden Flashes is a trip back home at the Kent State Field House, where they will look to carry the road-trip momentum, where the indoor season will kick off its next phase of the year.
Evan Schofield is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected]
