Seven named Academic All-OAC for Men's Track and Field
By Caleb Scott
ADA — The Ohio Northern men's track and field team saw seven athletes recognized on the spring Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference list, released on Tuesday morning.
Senior Alex Sibila (Zionsville, Ind.), and sophomores Alex Marsch (Orwell/Grand Valley), Andrew Shelton (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville South), Kyle Neff (Sagamore Hills/Walsh Jesuit), Brian Ruffini (Dennison/Claymont), Bryan Peck (Westerville/Westerville North), and Noah McKee (Powell/Olentangy Liberty) all earned the honor.
The award winners must be a sophomore or higher in class standing, maintain varsity status and have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50.
Sibila, an Electrical Engineering major, earned the honor for the third consecutive season in his three years of eligibility.
The senior was dubbed the Outdoor OAC Champion in the high jump for Northern, winning the event with a leap of 6' 6.25". He is now a 2-time All-OAC honoree in the event after earning the honor a season ago during the outdoor meet.
Sibila, also a member of Ohio Northern's men's basketball team, posted a career-high in the high jump this season, clearing 6' 7" on multiple occasions.
Marsch, a distance runner and Business Management major, earned the honor in his first year of eligibility.
The sophomore is also a member of Northern's cross country team and posted career-best times in the 1,000-meter run (2:46.96) and 1,500-meter run (4:27.91).
Shelton, a Mechanical Engineering major, also earned the honor for the first time in his career.
He is a part of the 2018 Outdoor OAC Champion 4x800-meter relay team.
The sophomore is also a member of Northern's men's cross country team. He posted career best times this season in the 1,500-meter run (4:11.18), 1-mile run (4:35.02), 3,000-meter run (9:31.77), 5,000-meter run (16:44.90), and 3,000-meter steeplechase (10:10.40).
Neff, an Accounting major, earned his first career Academic All-OAC nod.
The sophomore is also a part of ONU's men's cross country team.
He posted career-best times in the 1-mile run (4:45.42), 3,000-meter run (9:41.07), and 10,000-meter run (39:24.22) this season.
Ruffini, an Accounting major, earned the honor for the first time in his career.
The sophomore hurdler had the second fastest time this season for ONU in the 110-meter hurdles.
A letterwinner for Northern, Ruffini set career-best times of 56.24 in the 400-meter dash and 8.77 in the 60-meter hurdles this season.
Peck, an Electrical Engineering and Physics dual major, earned his first career Academic All-OAC nod.
The sophomore is also a member of ONU's men's cross country team and ran a career-best time this season in the 1-mile run (4:46.66).
McKee, an Exercise Physiology major, also earned his first career Academic All-OAC honor.
The sophomore owns top-3 times for ONU this season in the 100-meter dash, long jump and 4x100-meter relay.
He posted career-best marks this season in the long jump (19' 9.75"), triple jump (41' 9.75"), 100-meter dash (:11.63). 60-meter dash (:7.40) and the 55-meter dash (:6.85).
Northern completed its season with a 36-16 outdoor record and will send one athlete to the 2018 Outdoor NCAA Div. III National Championships this weekend in La Crosse, Wis.