ALLIANCE, OHIO -- The Baldwin Wallace University men's track and field teams each finished second today (Saturday, April 30, 2011) at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Meet at the University of Mount Union. Highlighting the day for BW was the selection of sophomore All-American Mitch Supan (Medina/Walsh Jesuit) was the Sparky Adams Most Outstanding Field Athlete.
The Yellow Jacket men totalled 126.5 points to finish second of 10 teams. Host Mt. Union won both team titles. Fans can view LIVE RESULTS athttp://www.neohstrack.com/uncategorized/oac-championships-mount-union
Supan earned his honor by placing first in the discus on Friday with a school-record and NCAA automatic qualifying throw of 174"8' and for placing second in both the hammer with a throw of 173"0' and shot put with a career-best and NCAA qualifying throw of 53"6.25'. He is qualified for the NCAA national meet in the shot, discus and hammer.
In addition to Supan, senior 4-time All-American thrower Kevin Phipps (Patsakala/ Watkins Memorial) won the hammer with an NCAA Division III national meet qualifying throw of 187-feet. Overall the BW throwers were dominant. Phipps led a 1-2-5-7-8 Yellow Jacket finish in the hammer and Supan led a 2-3-4-5 showing in the shot put and a 1-2-3-6 finish in the discus on Friday.
In the shot put, Supan, third-place finisher in junior Miles Moore (Gettysburg, Pa./ Delone Catholic), fourth-place finisher in sophomore Zach Marinucci (Brunswick) and Phipps in fifth place all had NCAA Division III provisional national qualifying throws.
In addition and earning All-OAC honors for the men (the top four in each event are All-OAC) were the 4x100-meter relay team of freshman Shawn Cordes (Litchfield/ Medina Buckeye), junior Mike Smith (Wintersville/ Indian Creek), junior Dan Sloat (Medina) and freshman Kevin Johnson (Garfield Heights/ St. Ignatius) by placing third in 42.79 seconds; and junior Drew Beck (Canandaigua, N.Y./ Academy) placing fourth in the men�s 3,000-meter steeplechase in a career-best time of 9:35.43.
All-OAC performers from the first day were senior Matt Kromer (Parma) and Phipps by placing second and third in the discus with NCAAA qualifying throws of 164"7' and 162'7', respectively; sophomore Jake Buckey (Geneva) by placing second in the javelin with a throw of 166"6'; freshman Brandon Eddy (Cuyahoga Heights) placing third in the pole vault with a vault of 14"7.25'; sophomore Zach Szablewski (Tiffin/Calvert) placing fourth in the 10,000-meter run in 32:20.
Next week, select Yellow Jacket individuals will compete at the University of Toledo Rocket Invitational on Friday, May 6, at the Allegheny (Pa.) University Gator Invitational on May 13 and at the North Central (Ill.) University "Last Chance" Meet from May 17-20 prior to the national qualifiers competing at the 2011 NCAA Division III National Championship Meet at Ohio Wesleyan University from May 26-28.
FOR MORE BW Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter athttp://twitter.com/bwathletics
