Marietta's Pallini and Spencer named OAC Track & Field Athletes of the Week
Both help set two school records at All-Ohio Championship

Feb. 16, 2009
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio — The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) office released its Athletes of the Week on Monday (Feb. 16) afternoon for the period of Feb. 9-15, and Marietta College senior track & field student-athletes Brian Pallini (Medina) and Sheena Spencer (Marietta/Parkersburg) both earned honors for their strong efforts at the sixth annual All-Ohio Division III Indoor Championship.

Head Coach Derek Stanley's squad rose to the challenge at the highly competitive All-Ohio Championship, which was hosted by Otterbein College, and finished with its highest placement in the six-year history of the competition. The Pioneer women collected 57.60 points to place fourth among 18 teams, while the Pioneer men totaled 39 points to finish sixth among 20 squads. A year ago, Marietta's women took 10th and the men placed 11th.

Pallini, who was also named OAC Field Athlete of the Week on Jan. 19, set a school record in both the Weight Throw and the Shot Put at All-Ohio. Pallini, who actually had the top six throws of the competition, won the Weight Throw with a NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark of 16.85m (55-03.50). He then took fourth place in the Shot Put with a school record mark of 14.97m (49-01.50).

Spencer, meanwhile, captured first place in the 400m Dash after crossing the line in a school record time of 59.39 seconds. She then helped the Pioneers’ 4x400m Relay team, which also featured senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia), junior Christi Tims (Olmsted Township/Olmsted Falls) and freshman Corryn Muench (Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic), close out the meet with a second place finish. The group finished in a school record 4:05.73. Spencer, the school record holder in the outdoor 400m Dash and 400m Intermediate Hurdles, has also set a new standard for the indoor 300m Dash and 500m Dash this winter.

Marietta returns to action on Friday (Feb. 20) evening when the Pioneers participate in the Rick Meindl Invitational, hosted by Capital University beginning at 5 p.m. It will be Marietta's first chance this season to compete at the location of the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Championship, which is slated for March 6-7.

Senior Sheena Spencer and Brian Pallini were named OAC Athletes of the Week.