Marietta climbs up standings at 2008 OAC Track & Field Championship
Lady Pioneers finish fifth and Pioneer men take sixth

April 26, 2008
WILMINGTON, Ohio — The Marietta College track & field program displayed its continued progress against the competition at the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championship on Friday (April 25) and Saturday (April 26). The Pioneer women, who placed ninth a year ago, finished fifth with 65 points, while the Pioneer men, who placed 10th a year ago, finished sixth with 44 points at the 10-team event. Head Coach Derek Stanley’s squad made the biggest jump up the final standings when comparing this year's standings to last year's standings.

Mount Union’s men finished with 183 points to defeat runner-up Ohio Northern by 20.5 points. Heidelberg was third with 107 points and was followed by Baldwin-Wallace (83), Wilmington (76.50), Marietta (44), John Carroll (38), Muskingum (32), Capital (31) and Otterbein (22). Otterbein’s women finished with 175 points to win the title. Baldwin-Wallace (162.50), Ohio Northern (79.5), Capital (77), Marietta (65), Wilmington (55.5), Heidelberg (51), Mount Union (48.5), John Carroll (41) and Muskingum (25) rounded out the standings.

Marietta had three individual event champions in 2008. Sophomore Chad Byers (New Matamoras/River) took first place in the Javelin Throw with a personal record mark of 54.44m (178-07). Junior Derek Carpenter (Belpre) won the Hammer Throw, which is an exhibition event, with a mark of 46.35m (152-07). It was the second straight season that Carpenter won the event. Junior Tiffany Kovacevich (Strongsville) also won the Hammer Throw with a mark of 43.39m (142-04).

Six other Pioneers joined Byers, Carpenter and Kovacevich in receiving All-OAC honors, which went to the top three finishers in each event. Freshman Seth Beckner (Red House, W.Va./Buffalo) placed runner-up in the Pole Vault after clearing a school record 4.60m (15-01.00). Junior Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local) took second place in the 800m run by finishing in 1:56.50. Senior Dan DeZordo (Louisville/Marlington) finished second to teammate Carpenter in the Hammer Throw with a personal record mark of 45.44m (149-01). Senior Breanne Kosar (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) placed second in the High Jump after clearing 1.58m (5-02.75). Freshman Olivia Holiday (Malta/Morgan) finished second in the Pole Vault by clearing 3.25m (10-08.00). Senior Sheena Spencer (Marietta/Parkersburg) took third place in the 400m Hurdles, setting a school record with a time of 1:04.45.

Marietta’s women also set two other school records at the championship. Sophomore Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) set the record in the 1,500m Run and placed fourth with a time of 4:51.18. Robertson then teamed up with freshman Tara Leach (West Lafayette), junior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) and Spencer to set a new record in the 4x400m Relay. The foursome crossed the line in 4:05.03, which placed them fourth.

Marietta will continue its season on Saturday (May 3) afternoon when the Pioneers take part in the Green & White Invitational, hosted by Ohio University.

Sophomore Chad Byers (Javelin Throw) was one of Marietta's three individual champions

Men's Results

Women's Results