By: Erin Madden

BEREA, Ohio - The Baldwin Wallace University women's outdoor track and field team finished fifth at its home Ohio Athletic Conference Tune-Up meet, hosted inside George Finnie Stadium. 

BW finished fifth of seven teams with 89 points. The University of Mount Union won the meet with a total of 163 points. 

For the third consecutive meet, freshman All-OAC distance runner Hope Murphy (Mogadore) won the 800-meter run, this time beating out the competition in 2:17.60. Senior All-OAC distance runner Molina Otte (Omaha, Neb./Millard West) took third in the same event in a career-best time of 2:20.42. 

Two other Yellow Jackets recorded career-best times en route to third-place finishes between junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC distance runner Alyssa Laughner (Howard, Pa./Central Mountain) and junior All-OAC distance runner Natalie Vinci (Canton/St. Thomas Aquinas). Laughner posted a time of 5:08.64 in the 1-mile run while Vinci ran a time of 1:01.80 in the 400-meter dash. 

In relay action, the 4x100-meter relay team of sophomore jumper/sprinter Maddie Boltz (Medina/Cloverleaf), senior All-OAC sprinter Ky'leana Allen (Columbus/Bishop Hartley), sophomore jumper Jenna Sirianni (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) and Vinci finished fourth in a BW season-best time of 52.62 seconds. 

Out in the field, senior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC thrower Brooke Buckhannon (Collins/Western Reserve) claimed victory in the shot put with a season-best mark of 41 feet, 7.25 inches. Sophomore thrower Abby Rodriguez (Grandview, Wash./Prosser) placed third in the same event with a toss of 38'11.75". Buckhannon also placed third in the discus throw when she tossed 130'7". Senior Academic All-OAC jumper Stephanie Magvas (Westlake/Magnificat) tied for third high jump after clearing a final height of 4'7". 

BW will compete in the two-day Ohio Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships Thursday and Friday, May 6-7, hosted by Heidelberg University inside Hoernemann Stadium.