Ashland University's men's and women's outdoor track and field teams concluded action on Saturday (April 11) at the All-Ohio Track & Field Championships at Miami University with strong individual and team efforts.
The Eagle men placed a close second (138.5 team points) to team champion Ohio State (140), while the AU women were third (106) behind Miami (152) and OSU (107).
Junior Elijha Owens earned a pair of individual titles on Saturday, winning both the men's 110-meter hurdles (14.20) and men's 400-meter hurdles (51.83), the latter improving on a previous provisional nationals-qualifying time.
Senior Drew Windle earned an automatic place at the 2015 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track & Field Nationals, May 21-23 in Allendale, Mich., in winning the men's 800-meter run in 1:47.80. Windle also was a member, along with Owens, freshman Halen Witcher and senior Jacob Cook, of the men's 4x400 relay team that won in 3:11.83 and earned a provisional nationals spot.
Sophomore Jason Zahn improved on his previous provisional distance in the men's discus throw, placing fifth at 50.74 meters/166-feet-6, and both Zahn (sixth, 16.45 meters/53-feet-11¾) and junior Zac Papay (seventh, 16.43 meters/53-feet-11) earned provisional spots in the men's shot put.
Also on the men's side, junior Nick Hall won the 1,500-meter race in 3:52.70, junior Eric Thompkins was second in the 100-meter dash (10.78), senior Waquiem Comar took third in the 400-meter hurdles (54.05) and the 4x100 relay team of Witcher, junior Brandon Freeman, Owens and Thompkins placed second (41.20).
In the women's shot put, four of the top nine spots were occupied by Eagles. Junior Jamie Sindelar's second-place showing of 16.12 meters/52-feet-10¾ earned her an automatic nationals spot, senior Shatora Lewis' sixth-place distance of 13.94 meters/45-feet-9 is a new provisional mark and both senior Jessica Bridenthal (seventh, 13.88 meters/45-feet-6½) and sophomore Megan Tomei (ninth, 13.83 meters/45-feet-4½) improved their provisional distances.
Lewis also earned a provisional spot in the women's discus, placing second (45.72 meters/150-feet-0).
Freshman Irene Skinner won the women's 400-meter dash in 55.99 and was third in the 200-meter dash in 25.53, sophomore Marlecia Holston was runner-up in the women's triple jump (10.76 meters/35-feet-3¾) and junior Meghan Cunningham was tied for third in the women's pole vault (3.55 meters/11-feet-7¾).
The Eagles' next action will be Friday (April 17) and Saturday (April 18) at the Walsh Invitational.
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