March 8, 2008

Pioneers Crown Seven All-Americans At NAIA Indoor National Championships; Men Place 11th, Women 28th


The Malone College men's and women's track & field teams competed at the NAIA Indoor National Championships in Johnson City, Tennessee last weekend and came away with a combined seven NAIA All-America finishes.  The men's team, which had five All-America honors, finished in 11th place overall while the women's team, which collected two All-America finishes, placed 28th overall.  In addition, head coach Charlie Grimes was named the NAIA Region Men's Coach of the Year.
    
In the men's meet, Malone tallied 18 points for its 11th-place finish as Azusa Pacific (CA) University won the national title with 64.75.  Oklahoma Baptist University was second (64), Dickinson State (ND) University took third (55), Doane (NE) College was fourth (42) and Black Hills State (SD) University rounded out the top five at 29 points.
    
In the women's meet, Malone finished with seven points as Wayland Baptist (TX) University took the women's team championship with 71 points.  Azusa Pacific took second (70), Simon Fraser (B.C.) University placed third (59), Oklahoma Baptist was fourth (47) and Black Hills State rounded out the top five at 35 points.
    
For the men, Brady West (Sr., Muskingum H.S.) earned the first All-America honor for the team as he posted a new Malone record in the heptathlon with 4859 points for a sixth-place finish.  His individual events, marks and points were as follows: 60-meter dash (7.57; 690 pts), 1000 meters (2:43.56; 834 pts), 60-meter hurdles (8.99; 748 pts), high jump (6' 1.25"; 679 pts), pole vault (12' 7.5"; 576 pts), long jump (21' 3.5"; 695 pts), shot put (41' .25"; 637 pts).
    
In the men's 3000-meter final, Malone had three athletes finish in the top six for All-America honors as Ryan Kienzle (Sr., GlenOak H.S.) took second in 8:25.74, Aaron Melhorn (Fr., Fairless H.S.) finished fifth in 8:33.56 and Evan Gaynor (So., Delta H.S.) placed sixth in 8:35.71.
    
Chris Sinick (So., Field H.S.) earned the other All-America accolade for the men's team as placed third in the 1000 meters in a time of 2:29.98.  Sinick had led for most of the race but was passed by two runners in the final 30 meters of the race.
    
For the women's team, Laura McElrath (Sr., Tallmadge H.S.) claimed All-America honors by finishing third in the pentathlon with 3350 points, which was a new school record.  Her individual events, marks and points were as follows: 800 meters (2:32.26; 665 pts), 60-meter hurdles (9.46; 816 pts), high jump (5' 5"; 795 pts), long jump (17' .75"; 614 pts), shot put (29' 3.75"; 460 pts).  In addition, McElrath competed in the regular 60-meter hurdle event and posted a time of 9.55 seconds in the prelims but did not advance.
    
Kalie Hauenstein (So., Ashland H.S.) was the other Malone women's athlete to earn All-America honors as she finished sixth in the 5000 meters in a time of 17:51.94.
     
For the men's team, James Zeuch (Fr., Galion H.S.) narrowly missed All-America status as he placed seventh (top six are All-America) in the one mile run in 4:21.46 while Justin Baum (Sr., Kenston H.S.) was also one spot away from the prestigious honor in the 5000 meters as he placed seventh in 15:06.86.  Matt Nichols (Fr., Crestwood H.S.) placed eighth in the 3000-meter final in 8:39.07 while Mike Coates (Sr., Sandy Valley H.S.) finished in ninth place in the one mile run in 4:25.20.  Brad Sinick (Sr., Field H.S.) finished ninth in the 3000-meter race walk in 15:00.86 while Shane McLaughlin (So., Caldwell H.S.) finished 10th in the high jump with a leap of 6' 4.75".  In addition, Nik Schweikert (Jr., Beavercreek H.S.) competed in the 3000 meters and posted a time of 8:45.22 (but did not advance). 
     
The men's 4x400-meter relay team of Bryan Krieger (So., Cuyahoga Falls H.S.), Jay Brueckner (Sr., Crestview H.S.), Garrett Oliver (So., Benjamin Logan H.S.) and Chris Cruise (Sr., Field H.S.) posted a prelim time of 3:23.11 but did not advance.
    
For the women's team, Rebekah Genter (Jr., Crestview H.S.) finished in eighth place in the 5000-meter final in a time of 17:59.75 while Sarah Hines (So., Northmor H.S.) placed 12th in the same event in 18:41.89.  Becky Rospotynski (So., Copley H.S.) finished ninth in the pole vault at 11' 5.75".
     
Vallie Scott (Jr., West Branch H.S.) competed in the prelims of the 400 meters (but did not qualify for finals) and posted a time of 1:00.68.  Megan Patton (Jr., Perry H.S.) qualified to the semi-final in the 60-meter hurdles and posted a time of 9.05 seconds in the semi-final, which was a new Malone record, but did not advance to the finals.  
     
The Malone women also had three relay teams competing at the national event.  The 4x800-meter relay team of Amanda Theis (Fr., Seneca East H.S.), Kayleigh Bildstein (Fr., Madison H.S.), Megan Miller (Fr., Crestwood H.S.) and Kim Winton (Jr., Medina H.S.) did not qualify for the finals but finished 10th overall in a time of 9:37.94.  The distant medley relay team of Theis, Vallie Scott, Bildstein and Lindsey Pifher (Fr., Colonel Crawford H.S.) did not advance to the finals but finished 12th overall in 12:49.97.  In the prelims of the 4x400 meter relay, the unit of Patton, Amy Gladd (Fr., Butler, PA), Laura Scott (Fr., West Branch H.S.) and Winton posted a time of 4:15.25.
    
This week, the Malone teams are idle and will next compete at the Wake Forest University Open March 21-22.
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