Saturday, February 28
Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
12:30 p.m.
University of Toledo
vs
MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships
Players Mentioned
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track and Field/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and Field
Sprints
/ Women's Track and Field
Distance
/ Women's Track and FieldDistance
/ Women's Track and Field
Melody Jebiwot, Lianna Surtz, Dorcas Kiptanui and Bailey Ranta all earned podium finishes in the 3000m at the MAC Championship race on Saturday.
Photo by: Christian Surtz
Toledo Places Fourth at MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships
2/28/2026 4:48:00 PM | Women's Track and Field
Dorcas Kiptanui wins the mile and takes second in the 3000m
MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – The Toledo women's track & field team used a strong showing on Saturday afternoon to capture a fourth-place team finish in the Mid-American Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.Â
The Rockets entered the final day of the championship with 23 total points. UT tallied eight podium finishes through three events and scored 42 points on Saturday to finish fourth overall in the team standings with 65 points. It is UT's best finish since 2022 when the Rockets also placed fourth overall. Kent State won the MAC title with 104 team points.
Dorcas Kiptanui led the way on Saturday, winning the individual crown in the mile with a facility record time of 4:45.37. This is the second consecutive season that Toledo has won the mile at the conference championship. Kiptanui also placed second in the 3000m with a personal best time of 9:19.36. She finished just 0.57 seconds behind Akron's Megan Hipple who broke the MAC Championship record in the 3000m (9:18.79).
In the mile, Gabby Phelan placed third with a time of 4:47.63 while Alex Bauer earned a podium position as she took seventh with a final mark of 4:52.36. Freshman Harper Brighty competed in the 800m final event, earning a fifth-place finish with a personal best time of 2:12.73.
Four Rockets earned a spot on the podium following the 3000m event, led by Kiptanui in second. Lianna Surtz followed behind, taking third overall with a time of 9:26.32. Melody Jebiwot took fifth with a mark of 9:31.72 while Bailey Ranta rounded out the UT competitors with a seventh-place finish and personal best time of 9:33.21.
Quoting Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Andrea Grove McDonough
"We put together about as good of a weekend as we possibly could have, especially down one of our heavy hitters (Karina James). But this time of year is all about who you can get to the line healthy and ready to race. I was super impressed with the environment our team created for ourselves and how much our athletes elevated their games when it mattered most. A really proud coaching moment for me this weekend and just so much to feel good about. We showed up in all the event areas we pour into, and that's exactly what we need to continue to do as a program."
MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. | Jack Skoog Track
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 27-28 |Â Live Results
Team Standings
1. Kent State – 104 points
2. Akron – 101 points
3. Bowling Green – 86 points
4. Toledo – 65 points
5. Ball State – 60 points
6. Western Michigan – 45 points
7. Central Michigan – 40.5 points
8. Eastern Michigan – 40 points
9. Ohio – 33 points
10. UMass – 30 points
11. Miami – 26.5 points
12. Buffalo – 16 points
13. Northern Illinois – 15 points
Toledo Saturday Results
Mile Finals
1. Dorcas Kiptanui – 4:45.37 (10 points)
3. Gabby Phelan – 4:47.63 (6 points)
7. Alex Bauer – 4:52.36 (2 points)
800m Finals
5. Harper Brighty – 2:12.73 *PR* (4 points)
3000m Finals
2. Dorcas Kiptanui – 9:19.36 *PR* (8 points)
3. Lianna Surtz – 9:26.32 (6 points)
5. Melody Jebiwot – 9:31.72 (4 points)
7. Bailey Ranta – 9:33.21 *PR* (2 points)
4x400m Relay
12. Alissa Magato, Bralynne Dunn, Lauren Zanotelli, Sydney Stepanovich – 3:57.53
Â
The Rockets entered the final day of the championship with 23 total points. UT tallied eight podium finishes through three events and scored 42 points on Saturday to finish fourth overall in the team standings with 65 points. It is UT's best finish since 2022 when the Rockets also placed fourth overall. Kent State won the MAC title with 104 team points.
Dorcas Kiptanui led the way on Saturday, winning the individual crown in the mile with a facility record time of 4:45.37. This is the second consecutive season that Toledo has won the mile at the conference championship. Kiptanui also placed second in the 3000m with a personal best time of 9:19.36. She finished just 0.57 seconds behind Akron's Megan Hipple who broke the MAC Championship record in the 3000m (9:18.79).
In the mile, Gabby Phelan placed third with a time of 4:47.63 while Alex Bauer earned a podium position as she took seventh with a final mark of 4:52.36. Freshman Harper Brighty competed in the 800m final event, earning a fifth-place finish with a personal best time of 2:12.73.
Four Rockets earned a spot on the podium following the 3000m event, led by Kiptanui in second. Lianna Surtz followed behind, taking third overall with a time of 9:26.32. Melody Jebiwot took fifth with a mark of 9:31.72 while Bailey Ranta rounded out the UT competitors with a seventh-place finish and personal best time of 9:33.21.
Quoting Director of Cross Country/Track & Field Andrea Grove McDonough
"We put together about as good of a weekend as we possibly could have, especially down one of our heavy hitters (Karina James). But this time of year is all about who you can get to the line healthy and ready to race. I was super impressed with the environment our team created for ourselves and how much our athletes elevated their games when it mattered most. A really proud coaching moment for me this weekend and just so much to feel good about. We showed up in all the event areas we pour into, and that's exactly what we need to continue to do as a program."
MAC Indoor Track & Field Championships
Mt. Pleasant, Mich. | Jack Skoog Track
Friday-Saturday, Feb. 27-28 |Â Live Results
Team Standings
1. Kent State – 104 points
2. Akron – 101 points
3. Bowling Green – 86 points
4. Toledo – 65 points
5. Ball State – 60 points
6. Western Michigan – 45 points
7. Central Michigan – 40.5 points
8. Eastern Michigan – 40 points
9. Ohio – 33 points
10. UMass – 30 points
11. Miami – 26.5 points
12. Buffalo – 16 points
13. Northern Illinois – 15 points
Toledo Saturday Results
Mile Finals
1. Dorcas Kiptanui – 4:45.37 (10 points)
3. Gabby Phelan – 4:47.63 (6 points)
7. Alex Bauer – 4:52.36 (2 points)
800m Finals
5. Harper Brighty – 2:12.73 *PR* (4 points)
3000m Finals
2. Dorcas Kiptanui – 9:19.36 *PR* (8 points)
3. Lianna Surtz – 9:26.32 (6 points)
5. Melody Jebiwot – 9:31.72 (4 points)
7. Bailey Ranta – 9:33.21 *PR* (2 points)
4x400m Relay
12. Alissa Magato, Bralynne Dunn, Lauren Zanotelli, Sydney Stepanovich – 3:57.53
Â
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