Marietta track & field takes first and second at Rick Meindl Invitational
Pallini improves chances of competing in Weight Throw at indoor nationals

Feb. 20, 2009
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Marietta College senior Brian Pallini (Medina) continued to improve his chances of making a trip to the 2009 NCAA Division III Indoor Track & Field Championship on Friday (Feb. 20) night when he unleashed another school record and NCAA Provisional Qualifying mark in the Weight Throw at the Rick Meindl Invitational, hosted by Capital University.

Marietta’s women produced a solid team effort to win the 12-team competition with 156.5 points. The Pioneer men, meanwhile, also received a team effort and collected 107 points, which placed them second only to NCAA Division I Miami University. Overall, the Pioneers set four school records and had seven event champions.

Pallini, who had previously hit NCAA Provisional Qualifying marks on two different occasions this winter, produced his best throw of the season on Friday. Pallini won the event with a school record throw of 17.53m (57-06.25). The mark was nearly one meter better than his old school record of 16.85m (55-03.50).

Marietta senior Tiffany Kovacevich (Strongsville) also improved her own school record mark in the Weight Throw. She took fourth place with a toss of 14.84m (48-08.75).

Pioneer senior Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) also set a school record while winning her event, the 5,000m Run. Robertson took first place with a school record time of 18:38.97. Freshman Jennifer Emmert (Martinsburg, W.Va.), who held the previous mark (19:33.23), also ran a personal record and finished second with a time of 18:57.13.

Senior Josh Mickle (Madison) set the Pioneers’ fourth school record in the 5,000m Run. He placed third overall after crossing the line in 15:53.0, which was broke John Hull’s record of 16:04.71 set in 2007.

Senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) swept her two individual events on Friday. She won the Mile Run by covering the distance in 5:41.28. Larrison then captured the 800m Run with a time of 2:28.56.

Junior Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) took first place in the 1,000m Run after crossing the line in a season-best time of 2:37.48.

Sophomore Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley) won the 300m Dash by running a personal record 26.95 seconds.

The women’s 4x400m Relay, which featured junior Logan Wern (North Canton/Hoover), junior Brenda Puckett (Eaton/Preble Shawnee), freshman Ashley Bault (Atwater/Waterloo) and freshman Lauren Asbury (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va./Greenbrier East), closed out the meet with a first place finish after crossing the line in 4:35.42.

Marietta is back in action on Saturday (Feb. 28) afternoon when the Pioneers host the Marietta Open #3. Action begins at 11 a.m.

Brian Pallini won the Weight Throw with a school record mark of 17.53m on Friday.

Results