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Akron sports Feb. 3-9 | Zips win in men's basketball, softball, track and field
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- Akron sports Feb. 3-9 | Zips win in men's basketball, softball, track and field
The University of Akron basketball teams ' results on the court are going in opposite directions.
Akron's men's hoops team (18-5) entered the week with an 11-game winning streak and the women's hoops team (9-15) is on an eight-game losing streak.
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Freshman guard Sharron Young scored a career-high 18 points and also had five assists, four rebounds, two steals and no turnovers on Feb. 4 as the Akron men's basketball team beat Ball State 81-73 at Rhodes Arena. The Zips are atop the Mid-American Conference standings at 10-0 .
Akron Zips guard Sharron Young (3) takes the ball up the court during the first half against the Kent State Golden Flashes on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, in Kent, Ohio.
Zips redshirt junior Nate Johnson (16 points), senior Shammah Scott (13 points, six assists) and junior Amani Lyles (12 points) also reached double figures against Ball State.
Akron beat South Alabama 80-67 on Saturday in a Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Challenge game at Rhodes Arena. Junior Tavari Johnson made a career-high six 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, four assists and three steals.
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Nate Johnson totaled seven points, six rebounds, three steals, two blocks and a career-high 10 assists against South Alabama. Senior Seth Wilson scored 14 points and had two steals, junior Bowen Hardman added 12 points, senior James Okonkwo grabbed 10 rebounds and scored eight points and senior Isaiah Gray contributed eight points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Akron Zips guard Tavari Johnson drives to the basket past Ball State guard Ethan Brittain-Watts in the first half, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.
Akron's women's basketball team lost 70-64 at home to Western Michigan on Feb. 5 and 60-36 at Georgia Southern in a Mid-American Conference-Sun Belt Challenge game on Saturday.
Zips redshirt senior Shelbee Brown scored a career-high 32 points, grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds and had a season-high five steals against WMU. Senior Alexus Mobley totaled 16 points and seven rebounds and freshman Ni'Rah Clark scored eight points.
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Brown posted her eighth double-double of the season against Georgia Southern with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Liz Murphy scored six points and Clark finished with five points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Akron softball wins four games in opening weekend
Akron's softball team opened the season with four wins in five games at the University of South Carolina Upstate's Spartan Classic in Spartanburg, S.C.
Akron won 7-1 over Monmouth on Feb. 7 and lost 10-7 to USC Upstate later in the day. The Zips collected 22 hits in the two games. Lily Sullivan went 5-for-7 batting with a home run, two RBIs and three runs. Alexis Campbell went 4-for-7 with a home run, two RBIs and a run.
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Campbell and Andrea Day each hit a home run Friday against Monmouth and Maddelynn Lee pitched five innings to get the victory. Sophia Wygast hit a grand slam and Sullivan also hit a home run versus USC Upstate.
Akron topped Monmouth 11-2 and USC Upstate 2-0 on Feb. 8.
Sydney Selker went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs Saturday against Monmouth. Sullivan went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Delaney Jenkinson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Macy Walters pitched five innings and recorded the victory.
Lee shut out USC Upstate on Saturday with two strikeouts. She allowed four hits and one walk. Sullivan and Selker each scored a run for the Zips.
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Akron recorded a seven-run fifth inning to top Bowling Green 7-2 Sunday in the Spartan Classic. Meagan Lee went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Selker walked twice and had an RBI and Campbell had two RBIs. Madie Jamrog pitched a complete game, allowing one earned run on four hits.
Akron Zips track and field team staying busy with indoor season
The Zips hosted the 21st Akron Invitational on Jan. 31 at the Stile Athletics Field House and finished first in 13 events.
The first-place Akron athletes were:
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senior Brook Boes, women's shot put (45-feet, 3¾) and weight throw (64-1¾)
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freshman Bismack Kipchirchir, men's mile (4:05.32)
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junior Vanessa Horn, women's 400 meters (55.06)
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senior Heriberto Alvarez, men's 5,000 meters (15:25.77)
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sophomore Andrew Styles, men's 400 meters (47.48)
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senior Joy Nwokike, women's 60 meters (7.47)
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sophomore AJ Jordan, men's 200 meters (21.47)
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freshman Rukia Omulisia, women's 60-meter hurdles (8.65)
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senior Hunter Garretson, men's pole vault (18-4½)
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sophomore Mary Munga, women's 800 meters (2:10.35)
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senior Ruth Webb, women's high jump (5-7)
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women's 1,600 relay, Horn, senior Kaira Granger, Omulisia and Nwokike (3:48.20)
Zips were victorious at the Doc Hale Invitational at Virginia Tech on Friday and at the Michigan Invitational on Saturday.
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The first-place Akron athletes were:
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Garretson, men's pole vault (18-10¾) at Virginia Tech
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Jordan, men's 200 meters (21.49) at Michigan
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senior Cassidy Allen, women's pole vault (13¼) at Michigan
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freshman Mercy Jebitok, women's 3,000 meters (9:45.11) at Michigan
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freshman Omulisia, women's 60-meter hurdles (8.48) at Michigan
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men's 1,600 relay sophomore Braylyn Farrington, redshirt senior Jimmy Harkelroad, Jordan and Styles (3:13.00) at Michigan
Akron rifle wins at Morehead State
The Akron rifle team, ranked No. 11 in the country, concluded the regular season with a win over host and 17th-ranked Morehead State 4,706-4,656 on Saturday.
Akron junior Natalie Siek (1,180) and redshirt senior Gavin Perkowski (1,179) finished first and second, respectively.
Akron also has wins over nationally ranked opponents North Georgia, Air Force and Army this season. The Zips have also lost to nationally ranked foes Mississippi, Memphis, Navy, Nebraska, Kentucky, Air Force, Alaska and West Virginia.
Duquesne tops Akron in women's lacrosse
The Akron women's lacrosse team lost 12-11 to Duquesne in the season opener for both schools Saturday at the Stile Athletics Field House.
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The Dukes scored five unanswered goals, including a golden goal by Mackenzie Leszcynski in overtime, to win. Emma Raines led Duquesne with four goals. Leszcynski, Mia Piocquidio and Chelsea Evans added two goals apiece.
Akron sophomore Sienna Hinchcliffe scored three goals and had two assists. Senior Jaelyn Clinkscales and freshman Julia Mattingly netted two goals apiece.
Michael Beaven can be reached by email at mbeaven@thebeaconjournal.com .
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron Zips win in men's basketball, softball, track and field Feb. 3-9
