The University of Akron Track and Field team added a pair of members to its traveling party to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships as juniors Lucy Bryan (Bristol, England) and Abigale Wilson (Carrollton) garnered berths in the women's pole vault and women's discus to highlight the Zips' efforts on the second day of the NCAA East Preliminary Round hosted by South Florida on Friday, May 25.

The meet, which invites the region's top 48 athletes in each event, serves as the opening round of the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The top 12 finishers in each event will advance to the NCAAs in Eugene, Oregon, from June 6-9.

A two-time All-American, Bryan capped a challenging preliminary performance clearing 13-8.50 (4.18m) to earn her first trip to historic Hayward Field for the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Wilson will also make her initial NCAA Championship appearance after registering a mark of 178-9 (54.49m) in the women's discus.

After passing on the initial two heights of 12-4.75 (3.78m) and 12-10.75 (3.93m), Bryan appeared destined to clear her opening bar of 13-4.50 (4.08m) only to see the bar fall off the standards in each of her first two attempts. Facing a make-or-break clearance, Bryan vaulted past the bar. It then took two opportunities at 13-8.50 (4.18m) before she eclipsed the mark and punched her ticket to the semifinal round.

In the women's discus Wilson registered a fourth-place performance on the strength of a throw of 178-9 (54.49m). After posting a mark of 136-6 (41.60m) on her first attempt, an effort that placed her 32nd, Wilson jumped into fourth with her second toss. She fouled on her final attempt, but it didn't matter as the field was unable to better her mark and her trip to Eugene was officially booked.

Competition resumes on Saturday.

* Kent State is a program rich in history – specifically heroic post-season pitching performances. On Friday night a crafty, colorful lefty added his name to that long list.

Jared Skolnicki tossed eight and two-thirds innings of brilliant work and the KSU hitters backed him up with a seven run, 12-hit effort as the Flashes rolled over MU, 7-2. The Golden Flashes advance to their 10th Mid-American Conference Tournament title game in the last 13 seasons. They'll attempt to become the first MAC team to win the regular and post-season titles since their predecessors did it in 2012.

Mason Mamarella (Dover) had a two-run double for the winners.

* Mount Union's men's track and field team, ranked No. 7 in the nation, had two All-Americans and two qualifiers for the finals on the second day of the 2018 NCAA Division III Track and Field Championships Friday at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

The Purple Raiders two All-Americans came from a pair of seventh place finishes by senior Jaquill Scott in the javelin and sophomore Sean Sherman in the shot put.

Scott threw for a mark of 205-feet, 6-inches competing in the event at nationals for a third straight year and is an All-American for the second year in a row.

Sherman, who was fourth in the event at the national indoor meet in March, returned from an injury just last week to qualify for this week's event then today threw a career-best mark of 54-feet, 1.25-inches to get All-American honors for a third time (second outdoor).

The 4x400 relay team including senior Tyler Neff (Fairless) will run at 4:50 p.m.

Sophomore Matt Keim (Tusky Valley) will compete in the pole vault Saturday at 1 p.m. where he is the third seed and placed second in the event at the indoor championships earlier this year.