January 30, 2016
FINDLAY, Ohio - The Bluffton University men’s and women’s track and field team competed Friday, Jan. 29 and Saturday, Jan. 30 at the University of Findlay Indoor Track & Field Classic. In large fields with quality runners from throughout the state, the Beavers put in some fine performances.
Sophomore Sarah Hunter (Mt. Blanchard/Riverdale) won the 800 meter event in 2:23.04, leading every step from the gun, in a field of 21 competitors. Also placing well in a large field was freshman Quincy Salcido (Van Wert), finishing 10th out of 44, dropping a full second off his 400 meter time to an indoor PR 51.73. Sophomore Kyle Knezovich (Utica) continued to do well in the pole vault, finishing 4th out of 11 men in the field. Closing the meet in outstanding fashion was the women’s 4 x 400 meter relay who took a whooping seven seconds off their previous best time of the season. The personnel of junior Terrill Webb (Kenton), freshman Devony Miller (Findlay/Liberty-Benton), senior Hannah Krull (Lewisburg/Tri-County North) and Hunter stopped the clock at 4:18.71, placing 6th out of 16 teams, and doing so out of the second of the three heats.
A number of Beavers had personal-record performances throughout the two days of the meet. On Friday night, sophomore Elaina Alpeter (Galloway/Hilliard Bradley) took 33 seconds off her previous best 5,000 meter time, running 20:17.52, very narrowly missing the HCAC conference qualifying time of 20:16.55. Freshman Keturah Warlick (East Point, Mich./Clintondale) continued her improvement at the 200 meter distance, running a PR 27.87 coming within three tenths of a second of the school record. Sophomore Alissa Hauke (Hillsboro) ran a pair of PRs, besting her previous times at both 800 meters and the mile while junior Miranda Hostettler (Glenmont/West Holmes) had a breakthrough drop in time at 800 meters as well. Freshman Austin McKinnon (Baltimore/Millersport) established a new best indoor time at 400 meters despite coming off illness and missed training. At 3000 meters, while not a PR, junior Anna Hairston (Mansfield/Ontario) dropped her time by 14 seconds to 11:06.94, a performance which should stand up for qualification to the All-Ohio Championship meet next month.
In the field events, senior Kristin Schiefer (Bucyrus/Wynford) put in an HCAC qualifying high jump clearance while freshman Sarah Oliver (Lexington) claimed a college indoor pole vault best. Freshman Erick Benge (Monrovia, Ind./Monrovia) established new best marks in both the shot put and weight with senior Aron Gibson (Caledonia/River Valley) joining him in the PR ranks in the shot put.
“Despite a few setbacks and frustrations, hard work is beginning to pay off from earlier in the season as the team is rounding in to shape and bonding as a unit,” said Head Coach Karen Brandt. “It was really nice to see the excitement during the women’s 4 x 400 as teammates urged them on around the track and especially at the exchange zones. By mid-February we should have a nice group of athletes qualified to compete in the All-Ohio meet as well as putting up good performances at the conference championship.”
The Beavers will take on the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern University next Saturday, Feb. 6 in the Joe Banks Invitational. Field events start at 11 a.m.; track events begin at noon.
-BEAVERS-
