Track & Field Teams Post Numerous NAIA National Qualifying Marks At Kent State Tune-Up Saturday
The Malone College men's and women's indoor track & field teams competed in one final meet last Saturday, at the Kent State University Tune-Up, in advance of the NAIA Indoor National Championships March 6-8 as numerous national qualifying marks and two Malone indoor records were broken in the process.
For the men, Chris Sinick (So., Field H.S.) captured first place in the 1000 meters in a new school record time of 2:27:04 to automatically qualify for the NAIA national meet. In fact, that time is currently the second-best in the NAIA.
Other NAIA automatic qualifying marks for the men included James Zeuch (Fr., Galion H.S.) in the one mile (5th; 4:15.20), Mike Coates (Sr., Sandy Valley H.S.) in the one mile (7th; 4:16.38), Aaron Melhorn (Fr., Fairless H.S.) in 3000 meters (5th; 8:36.84), Matt Nichols (Fr., Crestwood H.S.) in the 3000 meters (7th; 8:42.42) and Paul Robinson (So., Field H.S.) in the 5000 meters (6th; 15:05.66).
Qualifying provisionally to the NAIA national meet were Nik Schweikert (Jr., Beavercreek H.S.) in the 3000 meters (10th; 8:47.18), Justin Baum (Sr., Kenston H.S.) in the 3000 meters (13th; 8:49.30), Evan Gaynor (So., Delta H.S.) in the 5000 meters (12th; 15:15.68), Shane McLaughlin (So., Caldwell H.S.) in the high jump (2nd; 6' 6") and the 4 x 400-meter relay team of Bryan Krieger (So., Cuyahoga Falls H.S.), Garrett Oliver (So., Benjamin Logan H.S.), Jay Brueckner (Sr., Crestview H.S.) and Chris Cruise (Sr., Field H.S.) in a time of 3:22.85 (8th).
In addition, Brueckner had an outstanding third-place finish in the 500-meter dash in 1:07.65 while Jon Easterling also posted a third-place finish in the 1000 meters in 2:34.70.
Others who finished in the top eight in an event for the men included Bryan McCanna (Fr., Smithville H.S.) in the 500 meters (6th; 1:08.41) and Steven Young (Fr., Gladstone, MO) in the triple jump (8th; 41' 10.75").
For the women, Megan Patton (Jr., Perry H.S.) set a new Malone indoor record as she finished third in the 60-meter hurdles in a time of 9.19 seconds to automatically qualify for NAIA nationals. Two other women also posted auto qualifying marks as Laura McElrath (Sr., Tallmadge H.S.) did so in the high jump (3rd; 5' 5") and Becky Rospotynski (So., Copley H.S.) accomplished the feat in the pole vault (3rd; 11' 4.5").
Vallie Scott (Jr., West Branch H.S.) notched a provisional qualifying time for the NAIA national meet with a time of 59.34 seconds in the 400-meter dash (6th). In addition, Kim Winton (Jr., Medina H.S.) captured a first-place finish in the 500 meters in a time of 1:19.81.
Others who finished in the top eight in an event for the women included Kayleigh Bildstein (Fr., Madison H.S.) in the 1000 meters (2nd; 3:07.26), Megan Miller (Fr., Crestwood H.S.) in the 1000 meters (5th; 3:12.11) and the women's distance medley relay team of Bildstein, Patton, Amanda Theis (Fr., Seneca East H.S.) and Lindsey Pifher (Fr., Colonel Crawford H.S.) in a time of 13:00.59 (2nd).
This week, the Pioneer teams are idle and will next compete in the NAIA Indoor National Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee March 6-8 with approximately 30 athletes making the trip.
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