2 more Rockets sign NFL contracts

5/15/2012

Two former University of Toledo football players signed rookie free-agent contracts over the weekend, bringing the number of players on last year's team to sign an NFL contract to seven, a UT record.

Receiver Kenny Stafford (Atlanta) and running back Adonis Thomas (Cleveland) parlayed tryouts into a contract.

College track

UT long distance runner Emma Kertesz was named most valuable women's performer at the Mid-American Conference track and field meet last weekend, as the Rockets placed second to match their best finish in program history. Champion Kent State edged UT 134.33 to 132.

Kertesz, a junior from Central Catholic, won the 3000-meter steeple chase in 10:33.45 and the 5000 in 16:35.87. She also placed third in the 1500 with a time of 4:28.16. Her MVP award comes two months after she garnered the same honor at the MAC indoor meet.

Also named first team All-MAC were event winners Ari Fisher (10,000) and Huijun Jing (high jump). Fisher topped the field with a winning time of 35:23.10, while Jing cleared a mark of 1.72 meters (5-07.75).

Second-team honorees were runner-ups Mackenzie Chojnacky (3000), Megan Vogelsong (10,000) Megan Wright (1500), Kiah Douglas, (long jump) and Julie Snyder (high jump).The eight All-MAC recipients, a UT record, was most of anyone at the meet.

College baseball

The UT baseball team swept a three-game series at Bowling Green State University and secured a berth in the MAC tournament.

After winning 9-4 Friday and 16-8 Saturday, UT grabbed a 2-1 decision on Ben Hammer's RBI single in the 11th. The Rockets (27-24, 16-8) hold a one-game lead in the West over Central Michigan entering the final weekend. After a non-conference game Tuesday at Ohio State, UT will host Eastern Michigan for three games beginning Thursday. UT has never won a division championship.

College softball

Owens Community College pitcher Ashlyn Michalak signed a letter of intent to play for Valparaiso University next season.

Michalak was 17-4 with a 1.56 ERA and 202 strikeouts in 147⅔ innings pitched. She was named first team in the All-Ohio Community College Athletic Conference first team and All-Region XII.