Otterbein edges B-W to claim OAC Championship title

Mar. 3, 2007

By Zach Stipe

ADA — Otterbein ended Baldwin-Wallace’s string of conference championships taking home the Ohio Athletic Conference crown during Day 2 of the OAC Track and Field Championships on Saturday at the ONU Sports Center.

The Cardinals scored 139 points to narrowly defeat the Yellow Jackets, who finished with 132.5 points. They were followed by Ohio Northern (108.5), Mount Union (59.5), Capital (58), Heidelberg (58), John Carroll (37), Wilmington (35), Marietta (26.5), and Muskingum (9).

The most impressive victory came from sophomore Anna Yonker as she blew away the field in the 500-meter run with an OAC record time of 1:17.69.

Sophomore Allyson Tobin was a repeat champion. She defended her title in the shot put by throwing an NCAA provisional-qualifying mark of 12.78 meters (41-11.25).

Other Cardinal champions were sophomore Stacey Schall (55-meter hurdles), senior Melinda Keesee (5,000-meter run), and senior Many Fugate (long jump).

Schall provisionally qualified for the NCAA III Championships by running a time of 8.50 to win the hurdles, Keesee led from the start and ran a 17:55.48, and Fugate jumped a provisional-qualifying 5.53 meters (18-01.75). 

Otterbein’s 4x200-meter relay also clamed victory, clocking a time of 1:45.81.

The Cardinals took home the Coaching Staff of the Year award.

Baldwin-Wallace sophomore Ashley Scullion had the top individual performance on the day, picking up two victories and a runner-up in addition to being part of the winning distance medley relay on Friday Night.

Scullion won the one-mile run with an OAC and ONU Sports Center record time of 5:07.76 and then came back to win the 800-meter run with a time of 2:19.44. She capped off her outstanding day with a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter run. She was named Distance Runner of the Year.

Wilmington senior Ashley Johnson had the top field performance. She won the pole vault with an OAC record height of 3.77 meters (12-04.50). Her mark automatically qualifies her for the NCAA III championships and set a new ONU Sports Center record. She was named Field Athlete of the Year.

Another outstanding field event performance came from Ohio Northern senior Sara McGinnis as she won the high jump with a provisional-qualifying leap of 1.69 meters (5-06.50).

Heidelberg’s Jamie Depinte claimed the meet’s top sprinter award. She won the 400-meter dash in 59.06, took second in the 300-meer dash and was part of the winning 4x400-meter relay team.