BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin Wallace University men's and women's outdoor track & field teams are each second of 10 teams after day one (Friday, April 30) of the 2010 Ohio Athletic Conference Championship Meet at Mount Union Stadium in Alliance, Ohio. The second and final day of the meet begins tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.
The Yellow Jacket men totaled 41 points after six scored events and are just one point behind front-runner Heidelberg University (42). Ohio Northern University and Mount Union are tied for third at 31 points and Otterbein College is fifth at 29.
The BW women scored 29 points and are tied for second with ONU -- 32 points behind first-place Mount Union (63). Marietta College (22) and John Carroll University are tied for fourth at 22 points.
Highlighting the meet for the men was All-American junior thrower Kevin Phipps (Pataskala/Watkins Memorial) placing third in the discus throw with a school-record and NCAA automatic qualifying mark of 172 feet, five inches and leading a 1-4-5-6 finish by the Yellow Jackets. In addition, freshman Mitch Supan (Medina/Walsh Jesuit) was fourth with an NCAA provisional qualifying throw of 155'" (his best this season is 157'5"), senior two-time All-American shot putter Greg Patrick (Collins/Western Reserve) was fifth at 149'11" and junior Matt Kromer (Parma/Senior) was sixth at 149'1."
Also scoring points for the men were senior Steve Price (North Olmsted) with a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a season-best leap of 22'9.25" and a fifth-place showing in the javelin with a season-best throw of 171'5", sophomore Zach Szablewski (Tiffin/ Calvert) was fourth in the 10,000-meter run with a time of 32:57.15, the 4 x 800 meter relay team placed fifth in a season-best time of 7:53.59 and freshman Jake Buckey (Geneva) placed eighth in the javelin with a throw of 165'7".
For the women, the 4x800-meter relay team placed first with the team of junior Kim Chinn (Zanesville/West Muskingum), senior Brittany Giesken (Ottawa/Ottawa-Glandorf), junior Krysten Kovach (North Royalton/Parma Padua Franciscan) and senior D'Arcy Hlavin (Berea) finishing in 9:24.54.
Freshman Cristina Perrine (Middleburg Heights/ Midpark) placed second in the discus at 131'0" and freshman Leslie Purnell (Springfield/Catholic Central) placed eighth in the discus with a throw of 118'7". In the javelin, senior Marina Ortiz (Tuscon, Ariz./ Salpointe Catholic) took second with a throw of 124'0". Freshman Shaina Kovatch (Parma/Valley Forge) also scored with a seventh-place finish in the 10,000-meter run (43:00.51).
Following day two tomorrow, select members of the team will be back in action on Friday, May 7 at the University of Toledo Rocket Invitational.
