Women's Track and Field wins third consecutive OAC Outdoor Championships title in thrilling fashion
May 1, 2026
NEW CONCORD - The Ohio Northern women's outdoor track & field team won two of the final three events to hold off Mount Union for a four-point victory at the 2026 OAC Championships on Friday.
The Basics
- Ohio Northern finished first of 9 teams with 212 points in the 21 events.
- Record: Ohio Northern (40-9 Overall).
- Mount Union was second with 208 points, Baldwin Wallace was third with 108 points and Otterbein was fourth with 100 points.
- ONU outscored Mt Union 25-21 in the last three events, winning the 5k and the hammer, to break a 187-all tie and win the title.
- Venue: Jackson Family Track - New Concord, Ohio.
ONU Individuals
- The Polar Bears won four events on Friday after winning three on Thursday.
- Senior Samantha Roth (Brunswick) completed the sweep of the distance events by winning the 5,000 in 17:46.59. On Thursday, she won the 10k in 38:13.03.
- Junior Anna Brady (Sidney) and junior Katelyn Wagner (Sycamore/Wynford) finished 1-2 in the shot put in 13.04 meters and 12.91 meters, respectively.
- Sophomore Avery Baker-Schlendering (Freeport, Maine) won the high jump by clearing 1.67 meters.
- Sophomore Allie Locke (Lancaster) won the hammer throw with a toss of 47.53 meters.
- Sophomore Katelyn Stechschulte (Findlay) earned All-Conference honors in the triple jump by leaping 10.91 meters.
- Sophomore Tatum Walsh (Lima/Bath) was All-OAC in the 200-meter dash, finishing third in :25.56.
Notables
- Ohio Northern has now won six OAC Championships titles, including the last three in a row.
- The meet consisted of 21 events - 7 field events, 11 running events, and 3 relays.
- The top three finishers in each event earn All-Conference accolades.
- Roth was named OAC Women's Outdoor Distance Runner of the Year.
- The Ohio Northern coaching staff were named the OAC Outdoor Men's Staff of the Year and Women's Outdoor Staff of the Year.
- Locke's hammer throw of 47.53 meters puts her sixth all-time in ONU history in the event.
- Roth is now eighth all-time at ONU in the women's 5k at 17:46.59.
- On Thursday, senior Natalie Armbruster (Cincinnati/Mount Notre Dame) won the steeplechase in 11:08.80 and senior Claire Schweller (Paulding) won the pole vault title for the fifth time in her career by clearing 3.71 meters.
- Head Coach Jason Maus is in his 17th year at Ohio Northern and is 550-182-3 in women's indoor track and field for a winning percentage of .748. He is ONU's all-time winningest coach in track and field history.
Up Next
- The Polar Bears will return to action Thursday and Friday at the Baldwin Wallace Harrison Dillard Twilight meet.
