2008-09 Marietta College track & field outlook
Pioneers looking to continue climb up OAC standings this season

Dec. 2, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College track & field will work to continue its ascent up the Ohio Athletic Conference standings in 2009. Led by sixth-year Head Coach Derek Stanley, the Pioneers expect the return of 28 letterwinners and a roster of nearly 80 student-athletes when the season begins. It is a special year for Marietta, as the program will not only host five indoor and two outdoor meets but also the 2009 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships, which will take place May 21-23.

The Pioneers return all seven of their All-OAC performers from the 2008 OAC Indoor Championships, where the women took seventh with 41 points and the men placed eighth with 30 points. In addition, six of Marietta’s nine All-Conference award winners are back from the 2008 OAC Outdoor Championships, where the women finished fifth with 65 points and the men were sixth with 44 points.

Senior All-OAC honorees Derek Carpenter, who won two straight Hammer Throw titles and took second in the Weight Throw, and Brian Pallini, who was named the team’s Most Valuable Thrower and won the Weight Throw, return to anchor a solid men’s throwing unit. The unit also includes junior captain Chad Byers, who earned All-OAC honors after winning the Javelin Throw in 2008.

Marietta’s jumps team will feature sophomore Zach Gay, a national qualifier in the High Jump, and sophomore Justin Floyd, who finished fifth in the Triple Jump and seventh in the High Jump as at the Conference Championships last spring.

Co-Most Valuable Track Athletes sophomore Matthew Hickman and senior Jered Mitchem will lead the Pioneer sprinters. Mitchem finished runner-up in the 800m Run at both the indoor and outdoor championships.

Marietta’s distance team will look to translate its success in cross country to the track in 2009. Junior captain Josh Mickle will pace the squad’s middle distance runners. In addition, senior Joseph Wynes will battle the OAC’s top runners in the 3,000m Steeplechase this spring.

Marietta will look for freshmen Harold Early (throws), Rodney Endicott (sprints), Anthony Gusman (hurdles), Aaron Lopreste (sprints), Chase Oberfield (sprints) and Terrance Wallace (distance) to make immediate impacts this season.

Senior All-OAC captain Tiffany Kovacevich, who won the Hammer Throw and placed second in the Weight Throw at the 2008 OAC Championships, returns to lead the Pioneers’ throwers in 2009. She was voted the team’s Most Valuable Field Athlete last year.

Senior Sheena Spencer, a captain who placed third in the OAC in the indoor 400m Dash and outdoor 400m Hurdles, will anchor a young group of talented sprinters this season.

Marietta’s middle distance squad will feature senior Jessi Larrison, who earned All-OAC in the indoor 800m Run for the second straight year. The distance team, which is coming off a solid cross country season, will be paced by junior Randi Robertson, who finished runner-up in the indoor 3,000m Run and was named the squad’s Most Valuable Track Athlete last year. Robertson will get assistance from juniors Shannon McDonald and Kaity Smith.

Sophomore Olivia Holiday, who placed second in the outdoor Pole Vault, is also back in 2009.

Marietta will also look for early contributions from freshmen Lauren Ashbury (hurdles), Ashley Bault (jumps), Jennifer Emmert (distance), Kim Keesler (Pole Vault), Reba Leonard (distance), Corryn Muench (sprints), Brittany Sims (hurdles) and Emma Vierheller (Pole Vault).

The Pioneers have open home indoor meets scheduled for Dec. 6, Jan. 17, Jan. 24, Feb. 6 and Feb. 28. Marietta will also compete at the OAC Relays on Jan. 31 and the All-Ohio Championships on Feb. 14. Otterbein will host both events. In addition, the Pioneers will compete in two events at Capital—the Rick Meindl Invitational on Feb. 20 and the OAC Championships on March 6-7.

The outdoor schedule includes the Don Frail Invitational on April 4 and a Last Chance Meet on May 12, as well as the National Championships. Marietta will once again compete at Coastal Carolina and Wake Forest over spring break. The OAC Gold meet will take place at Baldwin-Wallace on March 28, while the Muskie Dual Meet is in New Concord on April 7 and the All-Ohio Championships are at Ohio Wesleyan on April 11. Wilmington will host an invitational on April 18 and then the OAC Outdoor Championships on April 24-25.

Senior Derek Carpenter and the Pioneers open the season on Saturday.