Eight Ashland University track and field athletes have earned either automatic or provisional national-qualifying marks following the first 2015-16 indoor meet of the season on Saturday (Dec. 5) at the Tiffin Alumni Open.
Senior Jamie Sindelar has the early top Division II mark in the women's shot put with a distance of 16.25 meters/53-feet-3¾, and has automatically qualified for the 2016 Division II indoor national championships, March 11-12 in Pittsburg, Kan.
Two AU women provisionally-qualified for nationals – senior Lauren Ellsworth in the 60-meter dash and junior Megan Tomei in the shot put.
Five Eagle men's throwers reached provisional marks at Tiffin – sophomore Elijah Talk, senior Jared Whitcomb and junior Zachary Smelcer in the shot put, and juniors Bryn Campbell and Jason Zahn in the weight throw.
The Eagles will conclude the first semester at the Kent State Golden Flash Gala on Friday (Dec. 11) and Saturday (Dec. 12).
ASHLAND MEN'S PROVISIONAL NATIONAL QUALIFIERS (5)
Shot put (prov. 15.77 meters, auto 18.56 meters) – Elijah Talk, sophomore, 17.15 meters; Jared Whitcomb, senior, 16.24 meters; Zachary Smelcer, junior, 15.77 meters.
Weight throw (prov. 17.19 meters, auto 20.99 meters) – Bryn Campbell, junior, 19.99 meters; Jason Zahn, junior, 18.68 meters.
ASHLAND WOMEN'S AUTOMATIC NATIONAL QUALIFIERS (1)
Shot put (prov. 13.27 meters, auto 15.35 meters) – Jamie Sindelar, senior, 16.25 meters.
ASHLAND WOMEN'S PROVISIONAL NATIONAL QUALIFIERS (2)
60-meter dash (prov. 7.73 seconds, auto 7.42 seconds) – Lauren Ellsworth, senior, 7.72 seconds.
Shot put (prov. 13.27 meters, auto 15.35 meters) – Megan Tomei, junior, 14.27 meters.
AU
TF/DS