Walsh wins 400, leads Women's Indoor Track and Field at Ashland Open

Walsh wins 400, leads Women's Indoor Track and Field at Ashland Open
February 8, 2025

ASHLAND — Freshman Tatum Walsh (Lima/Bath) won the 400 to lead the Ohio Northern women's indoor track and field team at the Ashland Open on Friday and Saturday.

The Basics

  • Record: Ohio Northern (29-3 Overall).
  • Venue: Niss Athletic Center - Ashland, Ohio.
  • The meet was not scored.

Meet Results

  • The meet consisted of 16 events, including six field events, 8 running events and 2 relays.
  • At least 45 teams from NCAA Division I, II and III amd NAIA schools had athletes competed in the 2-day event.

Top ONU Performers

  • Freshman Tatum Walsh (Lima/Bath) won the 400 in 58.04 seconds.
  • Freshman Emersyn Gerken (Liberty Center) was fifth of 37 in the high jump, clearing 1.50m.
  • Junior Claire Schweller (Paulding) was sixth in the women's elite pole vault by cleraring 3.78 meters.
  • Senior Jaclyn Boardman (Franklin, Ind./Community) was 17th of 31 in the pole vault, clearing 3.20 meters. 
  • Senior Sami Sellers (Van Wert/Lincolnview) was 29th of 93 in the weight throw with a personal-best toss of 13.74 meters. She finished 4th among 29 Division III athletes.
  • The distance medley relay team of junior Samantha Roth (Brunswick), freshman Grace Chomic (Westerville/Columbus School for Girls), junior Kaitlin Prusnek (Findlay) and sophomore AnnaSophia Gower (Perrysburg) finished eighth in 12:50.86.
  • Roth also posted a 24th place finish of 88 runners in the mile in 5:15.24.
  • Senior Hannah Friend (Luckey/Eastwood) and Sellers posted top-20 finishes in the shot put. Friend was 15th of 80 at 12.15m and Sellers was 17th at 11.92m.
  • Juniors Lindsay Weininger (Upper Sandusky) and Ellie Ford (Upper Arlington) were 21st and 22nd, respectively, in the pole vault by clearing 1.50 meters.
  • The 4x400 relay team of sophomore Lily Wolfe (Mansfield/Lexington), freshman Alexa Lane (Lebanon), senior Olyvia Ashbrook (Johnstown/Northridge) and Walsh were 14th of 26 in 4:07.20.

Notables

  • Walsh's :58.04 effort is the second-fastest time in ONU history and currently puts her 17th nationally in that category.
  • Gerken moves into a tie for fifth place on ONU's all-time career high jump list at a personal best 5' 5".
  • Roth's 5:15.24 in the mile puts her 10th all-time at ONU.
  • Head Coach Jason Maus is in his 16th year at Ohio Northern and is 599-177-1 in women's indoor track and field for a winning percentage of .772. He is ONU's all-time iwinningest coach in track and field history.

Up Next

  • The Polar Bears will return to action next Friday at the Grand Valley State (Mich.) Big Meet and on Saturday at the All-Ohio Championships at Otterbein.