Mount Union claims third-straight OAC Championship team title

Mar. 3, 2007

By Zach Stipe

ADA — Led by Nick Saluppo’s record-breaking performance, Mount Union wrapped up its third consecutive conference title during Day 2 of competition at the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships on Saturday at the ONU Sports Center.

The Purple Raiders scored 166 points and were followed by Heidelberg (142 points), Ohio Northern (111), Otterbein (71), Capital (61.5), Muskingum (39), Baldwin-Wallace (25), Wilmington (23.5), John Carroll (17) and Marietta (7).

Saluppo, a senior, defended his title in the 55-meter dash by running a time of 6.37. Saluppo’s time automatically qualifies him for the NCAA III Championships next weekend at Rose Holman (Ind.) and breaks his own record of 6.38 set last year.

He was named the meet’s most outstanding sprinter and the Purple Raiders coaches earned Coaching Staff of the Year.

MUC won six events on Saturday as well as the distance medley relay on Friday night.

Mount’s most dominating performance came in the shot put, where it swept the first four places. Junior Dan Gund led the way with a NCAA provisional-qualifying throw of 16.13 meters (52-11.00).

Other individual victories for the Purple Raiders were turned in by Eric Belancic (high jump), Rahim Bradshaw (400-meter dash) and Kyle Basista (one-mile run)

Belancic captured his second consecutive OAC title in the high jump by leaping of 1.98 meters (6-06.00), Bradshaw provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships by running a time of 49.51, and Basista used an outstanding kick to win the one-mile run in 4:21.8.

Mount Union capped the meet by winning the 4x400-meter dash with a time of 3:23.25.

Heidelberg junior Greg Tyson turned in the top individual performance of the day. In addition to winning the long jump on Friday night, Tyson won his second straight triple jump title and the 300-meter dash. He had a provisional-qualifying leap of 14.28 meters (46-10.25) in the triple jump and won in the 300 with a time of 35.28. He was named male field athlete of the meet.

Ohio Northern senior Chad Eagy grabbed his second straight pole vault championship by successfully vaulting a height of 4.73 meters (15-06.25).

Otterbein junior Justin Rush won the 55-meter hurdles for the second year in a row, running a time of 7.60 in the finals.

Heidelberg sophomore Scott Lasch won the 1,000-meter run, placed second in the one-mile run and eighth in the 5,000-meter run to earn the meet’s top distance runner award.