Results http://www.bluffton.edu/athletics/trackandfield/2014/0208.html

In wintry weather that continues to be far more suitable for Polar Bears than for Beavers, the Bluffton University men’s and women’s track and field team traveled to Ohio Northern University on Saturday, Feb. 8, to compete in the Joe Banks Invitational. It was another day of school records and personal bests for the Beavers.

On the track, freshman Jack Fisher (Norwalk/St. Paul) reset the mile record in a highly physical race, running 4:30.97, good for 6th in a field of 29. In the field events, freshman Terrill Webb (Kenton) broke her own school record she had set previously this season, clearing the bar at 10 feet to tie her for 2nd in a field of nine. Fisher’s time qualified him for the HCAC championship meet while Webb continues to top the list of competitors on the HCAC performance list. Webb currently sits 11th on the All-Ohio Championship performance list while Fisher enters as 18th best in the state.

The men’s throwing squad continued to rack up PR performances this week in the 35 pound weight event. Sophomores Edgar Gonzalez (Melvindale, Mich.) and Justin Yingst (Houston) as well as freshman Mason Yingst (Houston), Aron Gibson (Caledonia/River Valley) and DiVaunta Spearman (Sandusky/Willard) all improved on their previous best marks with Spearman adding an impressive three meters (9.8 feet) to his throw.

In the sprints, sophomore Kristin Schiefer (Bucyrus/Wynford) PR’d in the 60 meter dash while R.J. Miller (Hymera, Ind./North Central) reset his fastest time over 200 meters. Freshman Shawn Campo (Galion) had a breakthrough race in the mile dropping 20 seconds from his previous effort at the distance and the determined Kati O’Neill (Wapakoneta) ran another 15 seconds faster over 3000 meters. Senior Martin Russ (Rocky River) PR’d with 2:01.90 over 800 meters, placing him 3rd in field of 28 men.

But it was perhaps the relay teams that realized the most impressive improvements. The team of senior Kayla Mullenhour (Delphos/Jefferson), sophomore Hannah Krull (Lewisburg/Tri-County North), junior Kim Perry (West Alexandria/Twin Valley South) and freshman Whitney Warnecke (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf) took three seconds of their previous best time in the 4 x 200 meters while the men’s squad of freshmen Joel Jacobson (Franklin/Carlisle), Cameron Huss (Antwerp), Blake Drewes (Archbold) and Ty White (Orrville) raced nearly four seconds faster. 

Drewes combined with Russ, Fisher and White in the 4 x 400 meter relay to shave another three seconds from their time but it was the women’s quartet who stole the show. Hard work is paying off for Mullenhour, Krull, Perry and Webb as they destroyed their previous time by a whopping nine seconds.

Head Coach Karen Brandt continues to be proud of her young team. “When my husband, Jim, and I took over the program at Bluffton two and a half years ago, we knew we had a formidable job in front of us.

"We applaud those student-athletes who chose to join us in building a team basically from the ground up. Their belief in our staff of coaches, their willingness to work hard, their positive attitude and pride in their accomplishments are the ingredients necessary for success. Division III athletes don’t get scholarships.

"Their sacrifices are repaid by the rewards of a job well done and the life skills they develop through their involvement in sports. Goal setting, team work, dealing gracefully with both winning and losing--those are skills we need in all aspects of life.  With all the media attention devoted to the bigger schools and the more ‘popular’ sports, these are perhaps the true student-athletes of the NCAA.”

The team will see split action this weekend with competition Friday night at Defiance College (4 p.m. start for both track and field events) and qualifiers traveling to host Otterbein University for the All-Ohio Championship (noon start). Qualifiers will be announced on Wednesday, Feb. 12.