Marietta College Women’s Track & Field Preview
Dec. 6, 2005
MARIETTA, Ohio – The Pioneer women’s track & field program brings more talent within the rookie class of students to help build the team and improve on last year’s showing at the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championships. Head Coach Derek Stanley expects to find replacement leadership on a relatively small team, however, will have more help coaching this year with the introduction of Chris Basich helping with the throws. Basich is in addition to Ben Halder, who will be returning for his third season as the sprints/hurdles coach.
“The in-coming class will be a large step in the right direction for our women’s program,” said Stanley.
Stanley will look to the efforts of sophomore Elizabeth “Fizzy” Ramsey who is the only returning athlete to score points at the conference meet last year. “Fizzy” is looking to improve on her 9-11.75 ft. vault last year, which established the Marietta College school record in the event. Sophomore Rachel Forman is back to help out the throws program as well as junior Lyndley Dmitsak who will be running distance.
The team will receive their biggest help from the in-coming student-athletes. A group of young women sprinters and jumpers will have an immediate impact on a team challenged by depth. The freshmen duo of Breanne Kosar and Marissa Barnhart will be assisting in the high jump. In the sprints and hurdles Coach Halder will look to two freshmen Joanna Ferrell (sprints) and Mallory Sinoski (hurdles). Three transfers reporting in January will also be a big help to the team. Local athletes Jenna Wittekind and Cayli Cummons will assist in the sprints and jumps and Alecia Benninger will have an impact in the throws program.
With a roster of nine women last year, Coach Stanley is looking forward to working with an influx of 10 more women as the program moves forward. “We graduated a couple last year and with good retention, our team will grow into a quality program, one that will be competitive in the OAC,” said Coach Stanley.
