Season Review: Women's Track & Field posted strong performance in 2014-15
By: Ashley Birchmeier
ADA — The Ohio Northern women's track and field team posted another strong performance during the 2014-15 season.
Under sixth-year head coach Jason Maus, ONU finished the indoor season with a 45-7 mark and the outdoor season with a 51-9-1 record, claiming third place at both the Indoor and Outdoor OAC Championships.
The program saw 14 athletes earn All-OAC honors, 11 Academic All-OAC accolades, and one All-American.
Maus and his staff also earned Coaching Staff of the Year in the OAC.
The Polar Bears began the indoor portion of its schedule in impressive fashion as senior Gabrielle Metzner, senior Catie Huber, and junior Kristine Wagner all set new school records.
Metzner broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.04 seconds. She also broke the record in the triple jump with a leap of 36-1.25. Huber set a new school record in the 1,000-meter run in 2:59.50, while Wagner claimed the school record in the pentathlon with a score of 2,782.
Freshman Emily Richards also had a strong indoor season, as she and Metzner each qualified for the NCAA III Indoor National Championships. Richards competed in the 800-meter run where she finished 16th in 2:15.91, while Metzner competed in the 60-meter hurdles where she also finished 16th in 9.16 seconds.
The Polar Bears opened its indoor season with the un-scored Northwest Ohio Meet.
Northern then continued on the road and won the 11-team Defiance Invitational.
ONU then competed in the OAC Split Meet, claiming second of five teams before returning home to host the Joe Banks Invitational.
The Polar Bears concluded the indoor season with the OAC Indoor Championships, where ONU finished third.
Northern saw three relays and three individuals earn All-OAC honors.
The team of sophomore Meagan Ellinger, Metzner, Richards, and junior Michelle Mosler were crowned champions in the 4x400 meter relay as they won the event in 4:09.19.
Also earning OAC Championship honors were Richards in the 800-meter run in 2:18.89, Huber in the 1,000-meter run in 3:01.38 and the 1-mile in 5:15.70. Richards also teamed up with junior Rebekah McCutchen, freshman Alexis Kandel, and Huber to win the distance medley in 12:23.54 and be crowned OAC Champions.
Metzner earned All-OAC accolades for her efforts in both the triple jump and the 60-meter hurdles, finishing second respectively.
The 4x200 meter relay team consisting of sophomore Allison Gast, Wagner, sophomore Rebecca Carman, and Ellinger finished third in 1:49.06, also receiving All-OAC honors.
The outdoor season opened at the Washington & Lee (Va.) Carnival, which was un-scored. The Polar Bears continued on the road as they finished second at the Cedarville Invitational, third at the Ohio Wesleyan Frye Invitational and fifth at the All-Ohio Championships.
ONU then returned home to Kerscher Stadium where the Polar Bears hosted their first outdoor meet in six seasons, the Polar Bear Invitational. Northern finished second out of 12 teams.
The OAC Outdoor Championships also saw ONU finish in third place. Seven individuals and two relay teams earned All-OAC accolades for the Polar Bears.
ONU had three champions in the meet as Richards claimed first in the 800-meter run in 2:14.87, Huber finished first in the 1,500-meter run in 4:42.81, and sophomore Dianna Johnson-Ward won the triple jump with a leap of 36-00.75.
The 4x800-meter relay team of junior Rebekah McCutchen, Huber, freshman Alexis Kandel, and Richards finished first in 9:29.65 and won the school's first OAC title in the event. Richards also teamed up with Metzner, Ellinger, and Mosler to win the 4x400-meter relay in 4:00.78.
Senior Sam Hoffman finished second in the 3,000 steeplechase in 11:39.07. Also garnering second place finishes were Metzner in the 100-meter hurdles in 14.92 seconds, junior Sarah Ballmer in the pole vault with a height of 11-08.00, and sophomore Kendra Paul in the javelin throw with a distance of 126-08.
Richards set a new school record in the 800-meter run with a NCAA III Outdoor Championships qualifying time of 2:10.58.
The freshman concluded the 2014-15 season at the NCAA III Outdoor Championships where she claimed All-American honors in the 800-meter run, finishing in seventh with a time of 2:11.30.