ADA, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University men's indoor track and field team opened the 2017 season at the Ohio Athletic Conference North Split Meet hosted by the Ohio Northern University in the ONU Sports Center.

The OAC North Split meet consists of BW and Ohio Northern along with the University of Mount Union, Heidelberg University and John Carroll University.  The OAC's other five teams – Capital University, Marietta College, Muskingum University, Otterbein University and Wilmington College are competing at the OAC South Split Meet hosted by Marietta.

The Yellow Jackets finished fourth of five teams with 74 points. The University of Mount Union won the meet with 209 points.

BW was led by, Sophomore All-American sprinter Jordan Leverette (Cleveland/John Adams), senior All-OAC vaulter Johnathon Spilker (Solon) and junior thrower Cody Smith (Port Clinton). Leverette won the 200-meter in 22.31 seconds and finished second in the 60-meter in a career-best time of 6.97 seconds. Spilker won the pole vaulting event with a mark of 14 feet 11.5 inches. Smith won the shot put event with a throw of 48'11.75''.

In addition, junior thrower Zak Dysert (McDonald, Pa./Fort Cherry)  finished second in the weight throw with a career-best throw of 55'8.5'', junior Evan Milovich (Westlake) placed third in the 5,000-meter with a time of 16:00.03 and junior distance runner Brady Jeffers (South Amherst/Firelands) earned a fifth place finish in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:06.01.  

In relay action, the 4x400-meter relay team featuring sophomore Brandon Cole (Vermilion), Leverette, freshman sprinter Jesse Kucewicz (Lancaster, N.Y./Central)and junior sprinter Vee Sealey (Painesville/Harvey) finished second with a time of 3:32.91. Jeffers, freshman distance runner Nick Irwin (Westlake), Sealey and Milovich teamed up for a third place finish in the men's distance medley with a time of 10:55.90.  

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Friday, January 27 when it hosts the Dr. William Taraschke Classic on the Harrison Dillard Track inside the Lou Higgins Center Fieldhouse at 4 p.m.