Three Pioneers capture individual titles on final day of 2007 OAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
Marietta women take ninth and men place tenth at event

May 12, 2007
BEREA, Ohio — The Marietta College track & field program wrapped up its trip to the 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championships, on the campus of Baldwin-Wallace College, Saturday (May 12) afternoon. The Pioneers had three individual champions Saturday, which gave them four All-OAC honorees on the weekend. As a team, Marietta’s women place ninth with 41 points and its men finished tenth with 30 points.

The Pioneers completely dominated the Hammer Throw, which remains an exhibition event at the Championships. Sophomore Derek Carpenter (Belpre) won the men’s competition with a mark of 155-03 (47.33m). Junior Dan DeZordo (Louisville/Marlington), who also placed sixth in the Shot Put with a toss of 46-06.00 (14.17m), took fourth (141-06/43.12m), while sophomore Brian Pallini (Medina) set a personal record and was fifth (140-02/42.72m). Senior Rachel Forman (Heath) set a school record (145-03/44.27m) while winning the women’s event for the second straight year. In addition, senior Rachelle Cole (Sherrodsville/Conotton Valley) was second (141-07/43.15m) and sophomore Tiffany Kovacevich (Strongsville), who also placed fifth in the Shot Put with a toss of 37-20.50 (11.54m), took third (141-04/43.08m). Both Cole and Kovacevich set new personal records in the Hammer Throw.

Freshman Zach Gay (Elyria/Oberlin) out-leaped the rest of the competition to take the High Jump title Saturday and become Marietta’s third individual champion. Gay tied his personal record with a mark of 6-06.25.

In other action, freshman Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) set a school record en route to a seventh place finish in the 5,000m Run. She finished in 18:32.98. A short time later, Robertson teamed up with freshmen Sheena Spencer (Marietta/Parkersburg) and Christi Tims (Olmsted Falls) as well as sophomore Jessi Larrison (Batavia) to set a school record (4:09.19) and place sixth in the 4x400m Relay. Larrison also took fifth in the 1,500m Run (4:53.12) and eighth in the 800m Run (2:22.79), while Spencer placed fifth in the 400m Hurdles (1:10.17).

Junior Breanne Kosar (Wheeling, W.Va./Park) was one of six women to finish with a top mark of 5-01.25 (1.56m) in the High Jump. Kosar, however, officially placed sixth after everyone’s missed attempts were factored in. Sophomore Melissa Schulte (Pemberville/Eastwood) took eighth in the event, clearing 4-11.75 (1.52m). Schulte also took seventh in the Triple Jump with a mark of 33-04.75 (10.18m).

Senior Tim Roberts (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) took seventh in the 400m Hurdles with a time of 56.80 seconds. It was the first time in his career that Roberts, who set a personal record in the prelims, had made the finals in the event.

Junior Harrison Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) ran a season’s best in the 3,000m Steeplechase. He finished seventh after crossing the line in 9:58.1.

Marietta’s 4x100m Relay, which featured freshmen Anthony Dellamaggiore (McConnelsville/Morgan) and Chad Byers (New Matamoras) as well as Roberts and Gay, ran a season’s best time of 46.01 seconds and placed ninth.

The 4x400m Relay team, which included Roberts, sophomore Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local) and freshmen Kent Reiber (Avon Lake) and Cody Thomas (North Olmsted), also had a season’s best time (3:29.77) and finished ninth.

While the OAC Championships mark the conclusion of the season for most of the Pioneers, a few individuals will remain at school and compete at a pair of last chance meets next week in hopes of qualifying for the NCAA Championships. The first competition will be in Swarthmore, Pa., on Monday (May 14) and the second is in Lynchburg (Va.) on Friday (May 18).

Senior Rachel Forman won the Hammer Throw at the OAC Championships for the second straight year

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