Raider Men's Track Team Claims 27th OAC Title, While Lady Raiders Finish Eighth

2008 OAC Outdoor Track and Field Champions

Mount Union College's men's track sqaud (183 points) claimed its fourth consecutive track title and 27th overall, while the Lady Raiders take eighth (48.5 points) at the OAC Outdoor Championships hosted by Wilmington College, Friday and Saturday, April 25 and 26.  Highlights included senior Dan Gund (Madison) earning the men's Sparky Adams Most Oustanding Field Athlete of the Year Award, while Raider Head Coach John Homon and his staff were named the 2008 men's OAC Outdoor Track Coaching Staff of the Year.

Gund set a new OAC Meet record with an NCAA Division III Automatic Qualifying shot put toss of 59-00.00. Mount Union senior Matt Dawson (Painesville/Riverside) was second (52-09.25) and sophomore Judd Lutz (Bloomville/Columbian) finished in third with a throw of 52-02-00.

Sophomore Cory Reining (Millersburg/West Holmes) won the 110 meter hurdles (14.88) as sophomore Cecil Shorts III (Cleveland/Collinwood) followed in second position (14.96).  Shorts III won the 400 meter hurdles with an NCAA Provisional time of 53.66.  Senior Mike Lemponen (Eastlake/North) was seond (54.53).

Senior Bishmi Bradshaw took third in the 400 meter dash (49.77) and sophomore Scott Thomas (Salem/West Branch) was second in the 100 meter dash with a time of 11.01.  Thomas also finished second in the 200 meter dash with a time of 22.31.

Freshman Ty Griffin (Massillon/Perry) was second in the 1,500 meter run (3:58.45) and senior Kyle Basista (Westlake/Elyria Catholic) was second in the 5,000 meter run (15:16.89).

Mount Union's 4x100 relay team of Thomas, Reining, freshman Chris Slocum (Moreland Hills/Orange) and Shorts III finished in third position (42.92) and the 4x400 relay squad of Bradshaw, Lemponen, Griffin and fresham Marcus Jackson (Columbus/Eastmoor) finishe third (3:23.06).

The top three relays and individuals in each event earn All-OAC honors.

On the women's side, sophomore Aubrey Loy (Canal Fulton/Jackson) narrowly missed All-OAC honors with a fourth place finish in the long jump (16-09.75). Sophomore Rachel Perry (Westerville/North) took seventh in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (12:34.40), sophomore Heather Stalter (Marietta) was fifth in the 5,000 meter run (19:11.25) and senior Amanda Kolanz (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) was sixth in the triple jump (34-00.75).

Otterbein won the overall title (175) followed by Baldwin-Wallace (162.50) and Ohio Northern (79.50).  The top three team finishes on the men's side included, Mount Union followed by Ohio Northern (162.50 points) and Heidelberg (107).

Championship Site - Complete Results

 

DAY #1 HIGHLIGHTS

Anna McClaugherty

Mount Union College's men's track sqaud (46 points) and the Lady Raider track team (39.50 points)are currently in second place after the first day of the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Wilmington College on Friday, April 25.

On the men's side, senior Kyle Basista (Westlake/Elyria Catholic) won the 10,000 meter run with a time of 33:16.29. Senior Dan Gund (Madison) placed first in the discus (156-10) while teammate and sophomore Judd Lutz (Bloomville/Columbian) finished in second with a throw of 154-00.

Other top performers for Mount Union included, freshman Marc Aukerman (Latrobe, PA/Great Latrobe) was seventh in the javelin (161-07), senior Pat Nicholson (Brookpark/Holy Name) was fourth in the discus (151-10) and senior Jaime Simpson (Hilliard/Bishop Ready) was fifth in the discus (145-09).

Sophomore Cecil Shorts III (Cleveland/Collinwood), sophomore Cory Reining (Millersburg/West Holmes) and senior Marcus Jackson (Columbus/Eastmoor) finished 1-2-3 in the 110 meter hurdle preliminaries.  Shorts had a time of 15.15, Reining's time 15.35 was and Jackson's time was 15.52.  Senior Bishmi Bradshaw qualified for the finals in the 400 meter dash with fifth place finish (49.99). Sophomore Scott Thomas took fifth (11.05) in the 100 meter dash to qualify for Saturday's finals.  Bradshaw, Reining and Thomas all qualified for Saturday's finals in the 200 meter dash.

Ohio Northern (61.50 points) leads the Championships followed by Mount Union, Baldwin-Wallace (30), Heidelberg (24), Wilmington (23.50), Marietta (21), Capital (12), John Carroll (9), Otterbein (7) and Muskingum (0).

On the women's side, freshman Annie Patton (Darlington/Blackhawk) won the javelin throw with a distance of 132-04.  Senior Louise Thoma (Alliance/St. Thomas Aquinas) won the pole vault with a height of 11-03.75 and senior Anna McClaugherty (Alliance) won the 10,000 meter run with a time of 39:57.12.

Mount Union senior Brittany Morr (Smithville) who narrowly missed All-OAC honors with a fourth place finish in the pole vault (10-04).

Baldwin-Wallace (55.50 points) leads the women's team standings followed by Mount Union, Otterbein (38), Marietta (27), Ohio Northern (21.50), Capital (21), Wilmington (13.50), John Carroll (12), Heidelberg (4), and Muksingum (2).