MARIETTA, Ohio - The Baldwin Wallace University women's indoor track and field team garnered three more individual Ohio Athletic Conference champions and another record-breaking performance, as it competed in the second and final day of action at the OAC Indoor Championships, hosted by Marietta College.
At the meet's conclusion, BW placed fourth amongst the 10 participating schools with 108 total points. The University of Mount Union was declared OAC indoor track and field team champions, after finishing atop the meet's standings with 170.5 points.
On the track, the Yellow Jackets garnered three OAC indoor champion performances from senior All-American, All-OAC, and Academic All-OAC distance runner Kelly Brennan (Akron/Walsh Jesuit), and sophomore All-OAC distance runner Alyssa Laughner (Howard, Pa./Central Mountain). Brennan added on her to record-breaking weekend, setting the program's all-time indoor mark in the 1,000-meter run event with a 3:01.98 first-place finish. The record was previously set by Kim Chinn with a time of 3:02.52 back in 2011. Brennan successful day did not end there, as she captured a victory in the one-mile run event as well, completing the race in 5:04.90 for the second OAC individual title, and her third All-OAC honor of the weekend. Meanwhile, Laughner was crowned as OAC champion for a second time this weekend, following up yesterday's 5,000-meter first-place performance with a victory in today's 3,000-meter run event and a final time of 10:27.12.
The 2019-20 OAC Indoor Track and Field Awards were announced immediately following this afternoon's meet. Brennan was the lone BW representative among the list of award winners, as she was named the OAC Women's Indoor Distance Runner of the Year for the first time in her career, and second overall regardless of season.
In the field, BW collected All-OAC performances from senior throwers Jillian Roberts (Broadview Heights/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and Brooke Buckhannon (Collins/Western Reserve), as the two competed to second and third-place finishes in the shot put event, respectively. Roberts achieved a career-best mark of 44' 2.5", while Buckhannon, who won weight throw event in yesterday's action, attained a final distance of 42' 1.5" to notch her second All-OAC performance of the weekend. With today's showing, Roberts' score ranked her 17th in NCAA Division III national-qualifying contention.
The Yellow Jackets wrapped up their 2020 OAC Indoor Championships weekend with eight All-OAC podium medals (top-three), and five individual champion performances.
BW returns to action on Saturday, March 7 when it competes in the NCAA Last Chance Invitational at a to-be-determined location.
