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An impressive first two weeks of the 2018-19 Ashland University men's and women's indoor track and field season concluded on Saturday (Dec. 8) at the Findlay Oiler Opener.
At Findlay, the Eagles added two automatic, one improved provisional and five new provos for 2019 NCAA Division II nationals to their early-season collection. The autos came from a pair of men's weight throwers – sophomore Brent Fairbanks and junior Alex Hill.
Fairbanks won the weight throw with a top heave of 21.62 meters, and Hill finished third at 21.42 meters. Three more AU men earned provisional marks in the event – junior Nick Zak (fifth place, 20.10 meters), junior Jake Glass (ninth, 18.97 meters) and sophomore David Amstutz (12th, 17.60 meters).
Both Amstutz and Glass earned provisionals in the men's shot put, as well – Amstutz at 17.01 meters (fourth place), and Glass at 16.63 meters (fifth).
On the women's side, senior Natalie Helenthal's season debut resulted in a provisional and a win in the women's weight throw at 19.85 meters. Helenthal led an Eagle contingent which took each of the top six spots in the event – senior Mackenzie Leigh second (18.15 meters), redshirt freshman Lindsay Baker third (17.33 meters), sophomore Gianna DiPippo fourth (16.94 meters), redshirt freshman Carrol Pauley fifth (16.80 meters) and redshirt freshman Taylor Kroll sixth (16.77 meters).
In the men's pole vault, freshman Adam Keller was second (4.58 meters) and sophomore Kyle Hutchinson was third (4.43 meters). The women's pole vault saw sophomore Gabrielle Ewing place fifth (3.12 meters).
The women's shot put ended in Baker winning the event at 15.86 meters, DiPippo taking third at 14.15 meters, and redshirt freshman Elizabeth Weimer finishing sixth at 12.31 meters.
Ashland's men and women will return from Christmas/New Year's break and go back to Findlay for its Open on Jan. 12.
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