January 26, 2015

BLUFFTON, Ohio - Bluffton University’s Sarah Hunter (Mt Blanchard/Riverdale) posted one of the top 800-meter times in the nation at the Findlay Track and Field Classic and has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Week. It marks the first time since 2012 that a Bluffton track and field athlete has been named Player of the Week.

The freshman shattered the school record in the event, taking a whopping 10 seconds off the previous mark with a time of 2:18.86.  The time stands as the top mark in the HCAC by over 10 seconds and ranks her 10th nationally on the NCAA Division III performance list. 

She placed second in a photo finish with a runner from Trine University who was clocked in the same time, making their efforts a difference of only a few thousandths of a second and tying them for 10th on the current NCAA indoor national championship qualifying list. Hunter’s effort also leads both of the current All-Ohio and HCAC qualifier lists.

"It was a gratifying two days of competition”, said Head Coach, Karen Brandt. “My husband/distance coach and I had seen Hunter run the 4 x 800 during high school and while we knew she saw her specialty as the 400 meters, we saw a lot of untapped potential at double the distance. Sarah is both a hard worker and tough competitor but we weren’t sure if she would believe what we felt we saw. I think she erased a lot of doubt for herself today."

-BEAVERS-