The Bluffton University Track and Field team traveled to Ohio Northern University for the 2nd week in a row on Saturday, Feb. 1.

Saturday was another good meet for the Beavers. Bluffton's school record for the long jump was broken for the 2nd straight week in a row. Freshman Caitlyn Renner (Cairo/Bath) eclipsed her own school record by .01 meters, giving her a distance of 5.08 meters. This keeps her at the top of the conference competition in the long jump. Senior Ciana Hostetler (Sugarcreek/Garaway) also competed in the long jump and produced a personal best.

In the 60-meter hurdles, Renner produced a time which moved her into the finals where she set a personal record. Renner finished in 6th place. This keeps her 3rd amongst the conference competitors. In the 60-meter dash, freshman Madalynn Schifer (Bucyrus/Bucyrus) ran a personal best of 8.56 seconds while senior Christian Parker (Urbana/West Liberty) tied his personal record of 7.5 seconds.

Moving to the 200-meter dash, freshman Stacy Chirewa (Harare, Zimbabwe/Chisipile), Taijah Lewis (East Pointe, MI/Clintondale), and Schifer ran personal bests. Lewis finished in 8th place while freshman Nina McGinn (Marion/Harding) finished in 10th place. Lewis and McGinn have the best times of 28.03 seconds which puts them tied for 4th amongst conference competitors. Parker also ran a personal best of 24.31 seconds. Hostetler recorded her season best in the 200-meter dash.

Junior Remi Bower (Deshler/Patrick Henry) went 1.55 meters in the high jump which tied her personal record and places her 4th amongst conference competition and 12th amongst all division 3 competitors in Ohio. Bower took 6th place in the high jump. The 4x200 meter relay squad, which included Schifer, Lewis, Hostetler, and McGinn, improved their performance by two seconds.

Moving to the distance side, there were a lot of personal records on Saturday. In the men's 800, senior Connor Gulick (St. Louisville/Utica) ran a 2:00 which put him 6th place for the meet, 3rd amongst conference competitors, 6th amongst all Division 3 competitors in Ohio, and it was a personal record for indoor track. Freshman Morgan Adams (Dublin/Coffman), sophomore William Bakeman (Clinton Twp. MI/Clintondale) and Austin Hernandez (Marion/Ridgedale) also ran personal records. All three men ran in the same heat.

In the mile races, freshman Justine Lesniewski (Mantua/Crestwood) ran a personal best and sophomore Hope Nixon (Johnstown/Johnstown-Monroe) did the same after coming back from a minor setback. Hernandez also ran a personal best in the mile. In the men's 3000, freshman Britton Boyle (Middletown/Madison) ran a personal record and an impressive race with a time of 9:34. After running 25 laps around the 200-meter track, senior Arie Cox (Ontario/Ontario) finished with a time just four seconds off her personal best and it qualifies her for the conference meet. This performance puts her 4th amongst conference competitors. "It was another good meet for us with six personal bests and well as some athletes with near misses. There were a few athletes who were under the weather, but we will be ready to compete in a few weeks," Coach Wells stated.

On the throws side, good technique and hard work showed out on Saturday. In the men's shot put competition, freshman Henry Wright (Wooster/Wooster) threw a personal record and sophomore Brandon James (Waynesfield/Waynesfield-Goshen), who had a very light meet, threw a season best. In the weight throw, freshman Emma Payne (Hicksville/Hicksville), Dakotah Bunn (Millbury/Lake) and Wright all set personal records. Payne just needs to throw .03 meters more to qualify for conference. Even though senior John Jones (Cincinnati/Walnut Hills) did not set a personal record this week, he still finished 3rd in the competition. "Emma Payne had a wonderful performance today! The potential she showed today was fantastic and this puts her in the top 10 in conference right now," Coach Jachno added.

"It was wonderful to go back to ONU for the 2nd week in a row. Our athletes were ready to compete. Parker told me 'Coach, I'm excited to come back to the same place to run my 200, I want to PR' and that is exactly what he did. Another great performance came from Renner who broke the school record in the long jump two weeks in a row. As a whole we know this was just another meet that takes us closer to the HCAC Conference Championships and we are ready to compete," Coach Jachno stated following the meet.

The Beavers will be traveling up east to Tiffin University on Saturday, Feb. 8. Go support the Beavers. Brandon James will travel to Denison University on February 8-9 for the All-Ohio Multi competition which starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.