Women's Track & Field finish out indoor season with sixth-place finish at OAC Indoor Championships
BEREA — The Polar Bear women's track & field team wrapped up its indoor season with a sixth place finish with 68 points at the 2011 OAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Baldwin-Wallace in Berea Saturday afternoon.
The Yellow Jackets took the team title with 168.5 points, followed by Otterbein with 118.5 and Mount Union with 104.5 points. Marietta finished in fourth with 89.5 and Capital with 77 points. After ONU's 68, Heidelberg (56), Wilmington (30), John Carroll (26) and Muskingum (3) rounded out scoring.
Northern earned two individual titles as well as nine All-OAC finishers during the two day event.
Sophomore Alison Steinbrunner defended her two OAC Championship titles from a season ago in the 3,000-meter and 5,000-meter races. On Saturday, she crossed first in the 5,000 in 18:10.31.
Sophomore Kelly Casanova also earned an All-OAC nod Saturday following a second-place finish in the 5,000 in 18:12.34, while Lydia Weaver earned an All-OAC nod taking third in the mile run in 5:15.72. She also finished fifth in the 1,000 run in 3:10.46.
Other placers for the Polar Bears included senior Amanda Binkey's fourth place finish in the 1,000 and her fifth-place finish in the mile in 5:23.47
Freshman Katie Klopp finished the 800 run in eighth place at 2:28.08, while the 4x200 relay team consisting of junior Alyssa Reiter, sophomore Jordan Buchanan and freshmen Molly Kulp and Jenalyn Hennon took eighth in 1:55.20.
"We had a great day today," says head coach Jason Maus. "Our ladies performed very well; each event they just gave their all and I'm very proud."
The team will turn its attention toward supporting Steinbrunner at the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships, hosted by Capital University in Columbus, March 11 and 12. She qualified to compete in the 5,000 run.
Looking forward, the team gears up for the outdoor season which begins Saturday, March 19 at the University of Cincinnati Early Bird Meet.