WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Baldwin-Wallace College women's indoor track and field team are in fourth after the first day of competition at the 2012 Ohio Athletic Conference Championships inside the Clements Recreation Center on the campus of Otterbein University. The OAC today, (Friday, February 24, 2012) crowned eight individual and two relay champions. In addition, the top three relay teams and individuals in each event earn All-OAC honors for the 2012 season.

Host Otterbein leads the women's team standings after five scored events with 38 points. The Cardinals were followed by Ohio Northern with 36 points. Capital was third with 25 points followed by B-W (24.5), Mount Union (19.5), Marietta (19), John Carroll (13), Muskingum (9), Heidelberg (6) and Wilmington (5).

The women were led by senior Leslie Purnell (Springfield/Catholic Central), who set the OAC record in the weight throw with a first place throw of 54 feet and 3.25 inches. Purnell bested the mark of 53 feet 11.75 inches set by junior teammate Cristina Perrine (Middleburg Heights/Midpark) at last year's championships.  Perrine finished second with a mark of 51 feet and 10.50 inches.

The two-day championships conclude tomorrow, Saturday, February 25 when 28 more OAC Champions will be crowned. Action begins with the men's triple jump, women's high jump and women's shot put at 10 a.m. Running events start at 1:45 p.m. with the women's 4x200-meter relay. The meet is expected to wrap up following the 4x400-meter relays at 5:10 p.m.

FOR MORE B-W 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 B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics.