Women's Track & Field: No. 5-ranked Ohio Northern (0-0 Overall) set to open 2018 season at OAC North Split Meet

January 18, 2018

Friday, Jan. 19, 2018 - Harrison Dillard Center, Berea, Ohio

Friday's Preview: The No. 22-ranked Ohio Northern men's track and field team is set to begin its 2018 indoor campaign on Friday evening as it competes at the OAC North Split Meet in Berea on the campus of Baldwin Wallace ... Field events are set to begin at 4 p.m. with the men's weight throw, while the running events will kickoff at 5 p.m. with the men's 55-meter dash prelims ... ONU is ranked No. 5 in the USTFCCCA preseason track and field power rankings ... The Polar Bears welcome back a deep roster, highlighted by 5-time National Champion and senior Emily Richards ... The senior returns in 2018 after claiming two national titles at the 2017 indoor national meet and two national titles at the 2017 outdoor nationl meet ... The senior owns 13 school records and was a top-8 finalist at the United States Track & Field Championships in 2017. She owns the NCAA Division III record, the 9th fastest time in the USA and the 28th fastest time in the world in the outdoor 800-meter run ... The senior is also a 19-time OAC Champion, a 13-time All-Great Lakes Region honoree, 5-time National Champion and 7-time All-American ... Also returning in 2018 is 2-time All-American Maddy Reed ... The junior pole vaulter is coming off of a third place finish at the 2017 Outdoor National Championships where she posted a PR in the event, clearing 4.10 meters ... The junior also earned All-America kudos during the 2017 Indoor National Championships after she finished third in the event ... She owns the eighth best mark in Div. III history for outdoor pole vaulting and owns both the indoor and outdoor pole vault records at ONU ... Northern finished second of five teams at last season's OAC North Split Meet.

Head Coach Jason Maus: Maus is in his 9th season at ONU with a 329-108-1 indoor record, a winning percentage of .752.