Gay provisionally qualifies for NCAA Championships at Marietta's First Glimpse Meet
Five school records also fall on Saturday

Dec. 8, 2007
MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College track & field officially kicked off its indoor season Saturday (Dec. 8) afternoon with a First Glimpse Meet at the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center. The non-scoring meet, which also featured Concord University from Athens, West Virginia, produced its share of individual highlights.

The story of the day came in the men's high jump, when sophomore Zach Gay (Elyria/Oberlin) cleared 2.01 meters (6-07), which provisionally qualifies him for the NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championships. The event, hosted by Ohio Northern University, will take place March 14-15 in Ada, Ohio.

Five school-record performances accompanied Gay's effort on Saturday. Junior Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local) set a new school record en route to winning the 800m Run. Mitchem finished in 1:57.60, breaking Pat Gragan's 1984 time of 1:57.70.

Freshman Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley) broke the school record in the 200m Dash, finishing in 23.63 seconds. Alex Axelson held the previous record with a 24.08-second performance in 2004.

Freshman Seth Beckner (Red House, W.Va./Buffalo) set a new standard in the Pole Vault, clearing 4.30m (14-01). Chad Showen had the old record, a 4.26m (14-00) vault in 2005.

Sophomore Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) broke the Lady Pioneers' school record in the 3,000m Run. Robertson crossed the line11:07.72. Teammate Shannon McDonald (Lorain/Amherst Steele) set the previous record, 11:35.66, at the meet a year ago.

Freshman Tara Leach (West Lafayette) broke Marietta's long jump record with a mark of 4.97m (16-04). Melissa Schulte held the previous record, a 4.91m (16-01.50) jump at a meet last year.

Beckner, Gay, Leach, Mitchem and Robertson all qualified for the Ohio Athletic Conference Championships, which will be hosted by Otterbein College March 7-9, 2008. Six other Pioneers joined them in qualifying for the Conference championships; junior Jesse Larrison (Batavia) in the 800m Run (2:29.66), freshman Olivia Holiday (McConnelsville/Morgan) in the Pole Vault (2.75m/9-01), senior Breanne Kosar (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Central) and freshman Ericka Shafer (East Canton) in the High Jump (1.52m/4-11.75), senior Harrison Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) in the 3,000m Run (9:19/71) and junior Brian Pallini (Medina) in the Shot Put (13.47m/44-02).

Marietta is back in action January 19 when it plays host to a group of schools for the Marietta Open #1, the second of six home meets during the 2007-08 indoor season.

Sophomore Zach Gay provisionally qualified for the 2008 NCAA Indoor Championships on Saturday

Results