The Kent State men’s and women’s track and field teams will compete against crosstown rival Akron this weekend in the Northeast Ohio Invitational.

Also included in the tournament, which will be held at the Lee Jackson Track and Field Complex, are Ashland, Buffalo and Youngstown State.

The invitational will begin today with the men’s and women’s hammer throw at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively.

Saturday’s events will start at 11 a.m. with the women’s javelin throw and the men’s shot put.

Senior Brent Shelby is nationally ranked No. 47 in the shot put and No. 67 in the hammer throw. He is also regionally ranked as No. 13 in the shot put and No. 19 in the hammer and discus throw in the Mideast Region.

Also making a team impact is junior Andy Nicholas who is nationally No. 15 and regionally No. 3 in the hammer throw, while sophomore Jaroslaw Zakrzewski ranks nationally No. 26 and regionally No. 8 in the same event.

On the women’s team, senior Kelly Braden is No. 54 nationally and No. 16 regionally in the hammer throw. Sophomore LeVania Henderson ranks No. 61 nationally and No. 27 regionally in the shot put, while junior Bekah Stoltz ranks No. 49 in the nation and No. 11 in the region in the javelin throw.

The Flashes will travel to Philadelphia next Thursday and Friday for the Penn Relays.

-Amanda Vasil