Natalie Garrett wins weight throw to lead Women's Indoor Track and Field at Wittenberg Invitational

By Andrew Loewe

SPRINGFIELD — Sophomore Natalie Garrett (Columbus/Bishop Watterson) set a personal-best mark to win the weight throw Saturday as the Ohio Northern women's indoor track and field team competed at the Wittenberg Invitational at Steemer Fieldhouse.

Garrett's throw of 50-6.00 (15.39 meters) surpassed her previous best mark of 47-7.00 and ranks fourth all-time at ONU.

Garrett also is the new owner of the facility record, breaking the old record of 48-1.00 (14.67 meters).

ONU finished 1-2-3 in the 1,000 meters as senior Taylor Ellerbrock (Columbus Grove) crossed first in 3:10.04 followed by junior Lexi Neff (Northfield/Walsh Jesuit) in 3:10.98 and sophomore Oleysa Mertz (Johnstown) in 3:17.57.

Junior Anna Schatzle (Brookville, Ind./Franklin County) finished second in the pole vault with a personal-best vault of 3.69 meters to break the facility record of 3.56 meters that was set in 2020. However, the winner of the event, Cedarville's Haleigh Eckert, vaulted 3.74 meters for the new facility record. Sophomore Olivia Ogg (Hebron/Lakewood) finished third with a vault of 3.19 meters.

Ohio Northern finished 2-3 in the 500 with Olyvia Ashbrook (Johnstown/Northridge) placing second in 1:20.73 and J.J. Herron (Miamisburg) crossing third in 1:21.45.

The Polar Bear 1,600 meter relay team of sophomore Rosie Schroeder (Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley), juniors Gabrielle Kowalczyk (Marion/Pleasant) and Gizem Tanriverdi (Ada) and freshman Rylie Barrington (Waynesfield/Waynesfield-Goshen) finished second in 4:18.01.

Senior Kayla Silva (Westerville/South) finished third in the 60 meters in 7.905 seconds.

Freshman Chloe Gibson (Ostrander/Buckeye Valley) had a best jump of 10.49 meters in the triple jump to claim third place.

There were no team scores for the event.

Ohio Northern returns to action Friday and Saturday for the two-day OAC Championships in Alliance.