Richards wins Distance Runner of the Year to lead Women's Track and Field at the OAC Outdoor Championships

April 25, 2015

By: Ashley Birchmeier

ALLIANCE – Freshman Emily Richards wins Distance Runner of the Year to lead Ohio Northern women's outdoor track and field team on the final day of the 2015 Ohio Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships on Saturday hosted by Mount Union.

The Northern coaching staff of head coach Jason Maus, assistant coaches Casey Gantt, Kyle Armstrong, and Stephan Johnson earned Coaching Staff of the Year.

"Earning coaching staff of the year is a reflection of the team, we dont win this honor without the team performing well," said head coach Jason Maus. "My whole staff, coach Gnatt, Johnson, Armstrong, and trainer Krisi Stauffer makes us well rounded."

The Polar Bears (52-10 overall) finished third out of 10 teams with 123 points.

Mount Union won the team title with 199 points and Otterbein claimed second with 123.5 points.

Richards won the 800-meter run and teamed up with senior Gabrielle Metzner, sophomore Meagan Ellinger, and junior Michelle Mosler to win the 4x400-meter relay.

The freshman won the 800-meter run in 2:14.87 garnering All-OAC honors in the event.

The 4x400-meter relay team won the event with a time of 4:00.78 and received All-Conference honors for their performance.

Senior Catie Huber won the 1,500-meter run in 4:42.81, earning All-OAC honors in the event. Junior Rebekah McCutchen finished fourth in the event with a new personal best of 4:49.59.

Sophomore Dianna Johnson-Ward earned All-OAC accolades in the triple jump, winning the event with a leap of 10.99 meters. Metzner claimed fifth in the event with a jump of 10.51 meters, while sophomore Kelsey Commager finished eighth with a leap of 9.92 meters.

Metzner garnered a second place finish in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.92, receiving All-OAC honors.

Mosler claimed a fourth place finish in the 400 hurdles in 1:07.82.

The 4x100-meter relay team of sophomore Allison Gast, Metzner, junior Kristine Wagner, and Ellinger, finished fifth in 49.85.

Sophomore Rebecca Carmen finished fifth in the long jump with a leap of 5.25 meters, while Wagner claimed sixth with a leap of 5.24 meters.

Catie Huber finished fifth in the 800-meter run in 2:22.44, while freshman Alexis Kandel finished sixth in 2:23.58.

In the 100-meter dash, Gast garnered a seventh place finish in 12.99 seconds.

Senior Sam Hoffman claimed seventh in the 5,000-meter run in 18:47.15.

Ellinger also finished eighth in the 400-meter dash in 1:01.83.

"The women had an unbelievable weekend, what a turn around from last season," said head coach Jason Maus. "Proud of the entire team the effort they brought, our seniors performed great and have done so much for our team."

Team Scores: 1. Mount Union 199, 2. Otterbein 123.50, 3. Ohio Northern 123, 4. Baldwin Wallace 108, 5. Wilmington 72, 6. Heidelberg 70, 7. John Carroll 66.50, 8. Capital 19, 9. Marietta 18, 10. Muskingum 17.