By Jordan Hill, sports information assistant
Results: http://www.bluffton.edu/sports/trackandfield/2012/0120.mht
After being idle for 48 days, the Bluffton men's and women's indoor track and field team showcased their hard work at the 2012 Northwest Ohio Invitational, hosted by the University of Findlay on Friday, Jan. 20. Division I, II, and III teams from the region competed in the unscored meet.
Highlighting the night by setting new school records were senior Megan Neal (Arlington), junior Maddie Moore (Linn Grove, Ind./South Adams) and sophomore Brandi Dominique (Wauseon). Neal broke her own weight throw school record she previously set in December by tossing an HCAC qualifying mark of 48-1.75 feet. Moore ran 11:07.85 in the 3,000 meters, smashing the school record by 17 seconds and also qualifying for the HCAC Championship. Dominique broke the one-mile school record and qualified for the HCAC Championship by finishing in 5:36.51.
Several other athletes also hit HCAC qualifying standards for the 2012 championship meet. Senior Bryan Heckathorn (Hartville/Lake) threw a lifetime best of 43-9.75 feet in the shot put to qualify for the meet. Junior Alison Janzen (Whitewater, KS/Remington) ran a personal best of 11:44.4 in the 3,000 meters which also qualifies for the championship meet. Freshman Travaun Reaves (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) qualified for high jump with a leap of 6 feet.
Multiple personal records highlighted the night for the Beavers. Senior Andy Chaffee (Clarkston, MI/Clarkston) ran a lifetime best in the one-mile with a time 4:49.57. Junior Chris Arnold (Fort Wayne, Ind./Canterbury) set a new personal record in the 3,000 meters with a time of 10:42.97. Junior Jeremy Kidder (New Carlisle/Tecumseh) ran an indoor personal best in the 800 meters with a time of 2:16.42.
Sophomore Julie Court (Galion) had a pair of personal bests in the weight throw and shot put, throwing 34-9.5 feet and 30-.75 feet, respectively. Freshman Jeff Parker (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) put up a lifetime best in the weight throw with a toss of 33-08 feet. Neal also threw 34-3 feet in the shot put for a new personal record.
The Bluffton University indoor track and field teams return to the University of Findlay on January 27-28 for the Findlay Classic.
