Steinbrunner leads Women's Track to fifth place finish at OAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships

By Tim Glon

WILMINGTON -- Junior All-American Alison Steinbrunner set a conference record in the 5,000-meter run, leading Ohio Northern at the 2012 Ohio Athletic Conference Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships Friday and Saturday at Williams Stadium.

The Polar Bears (22-18-1 overall) finished fifth of 10 teams with 79.50 points.

Mount Union won the meet with 146 points, Baldwin-Wallace was second with 101 points and Marietta was third with 98 points.

Steinbrunner won the 5,000-meter run in an OAC record 17:32.70, crushing the field by more than 44 seconds.

The top three finishers in each event earn All-Conference accolades.

She also broke the school record and earned All-OAC kudos in the 1,500 by finishing second in 4:41.54.

Freshman Shayla Siefker finished second in the 800 run in 2:18.33 to earn All-Conference accolades.

Junior Vicki Moga earned All-OAC honors by finishing second in the high jump with a height of 1.59 meters.

Junior Casey Adamcik was sixth in the 3,000 steeplechase in 12:01.55, freshman Gabrielle Metzner was sixth in the 100 hurdles in :16.10 and sophomore Emily Blum was sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 10.33 meters.

Juniors Jordan Buchanan and Lydia Weaver, Siefker and sophomore Laura Avino finished seventh in 4:14.16.

On Friday, senior Mallory Bloom won the 10,000 run in 37:57.33. She also finished eighth in the 5,000-meter run on Saturday in 18:43.39.

The 4x800 team of Weaver and Steinbrunner, freshmen Caitlin Huber and Siefker finished second in 9:28.52 for an All-OAC nod.

Senior Aubrie Stechschulte earned All-OAC honors in the pole vault, finishing third at 10-4. She also placed fourth in the long jump at 17-7.50.

Ohio Northern will send selected athletes to the Toledo Invitational Thursday and Friday.