Springfield, Ohio – The Wittenberg University track and field team hosted their annual Coach Rob Invitational, welcoming in teams from across Ohio and Indiana. This year the meet played host to schools including, Baldwin Wallace University, Central State University, Earlham College, Heidelberg University, Muskingum University, Ohio Christian, Rose-Hulman Institute, Wabash College, and Wilmington College. The Wittenberg men's team took third place on the day with 86 points in 20 events scored, while the women's team finished in seventh-place with a total of 51 points tallied in 19 events scored.
The day first started out with the celebration of the senior class of 2018. A short ceremony before the field events got underway celebrated and acknowledged the careers of the five seniors of the Wittenberg track and field team, including Anissa Dann, Sydney Granito, Jersson Pachar, Tomas Pyle and Tyler Gittins.
Junior Charles Rodeheffer earned a new Wittenberg record in the 5000m run which stood since 1999 at 15:14.5, as Rodeheffer came in at 15:14.03. Gittins took third-place in the 110m hurdles with a final time of 15.63, as junior Kyle Farnbauch came in at 15.82 for a fifth-place finish. Gittins would add a fourth-place finish in the 400m hurdles with a time of 55.37. Pachar opened up the running events with a fifth-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase, crossing the line in a time of 10:23.48. Tyler Branton (11.26) took third-place in the 100m dash. Brandon Johnson (11.56) and Matt Entsminger (11.59) finished back-to-back taking the fifth and sixth spots in the 100m. Branton would add a fifth-place finish in the 200m dash, crossing the line in a time of 23.00.The Wittenberg 4x400m relay team of Branton, Gittins, Entsminger, and Johnson beat the pack with a final time of 43.06.
Tay Morton took second place in the triple jump event for the Tigers, clearing a distance of 13.11m. Junior D'Anthony Dorsey would take fourth-place in the shot put and hammer throw event with a heave of 14.76m in the shot and 47.19 in the hammer.
Freshman Ryelee Clary won the 100m hurdles with a time of 15.30, followed closely by classmate Taylor Barnhisel with a final time of 16.82 for a sixth-place finish. Barnhisel would also take sixth-place in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:10.83. Anna Lebold crossed the line in a time of 2:28.23 in the 800m run for a fourth-place finish. Samantha Mitchell took fifth-place in the 200m dash, crossing the line in a time of 26.91. Leah Hilley took sixth-place in the 100m dash, crossing the line in a time of 13.42.
Anissa Dann took fourth-place in her final home meet of her career in the hammer throw event with a toss of 44.58m. Freshman Hannah Eley logged a fifth-place finish in the discus toss, with a throw of 32.14m. Nia Gilbert and Alissa Spears finished back to back, taking sixth and seventh place in the triple jump competition, with jumps of 9.36m and 9.49m.
A great sendoff for a wonderful group of hardworking @Witt_TandF_XC seniors #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/c65G7ZWRIs
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
Congratulations @Witt_TandF_XC Charles Rodeheffer on breaking the 5000m run record with a time of 15:14.03. A record that has stood since 1999! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/WKOAoBesYf
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 31, 2018
This concludes another successful Coach Rob Invitational for @Witt_TandF_XC #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/9HLBrzeO0P
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
We are off in the @Witt_TandF_XC men's 4x400 relay #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/9kwBustZMY
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
The @Witt_TandF_XC women's 4x400 relay team is underway! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/qcE3Q1wJPa
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
.@Witt_TandF_XC keeping things interesting in the men's 100m dash #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/aFqQEzkFGN
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
The @Witt_TandF_XC women's 100m dash is underway! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/0EDIN7okaZ
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
A trio of @Witt_TandF_XC Tigers take part in the 400m dash! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/NVj52CCHsx
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
The @Witt_TandF_XC 110m hurdle duo of Tyler Gittins and Kyle Farnbauch coming down the homestretch #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/niCnbAp18e
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
Good luck to Coach P and our fav @WittAthletics @Witt_TandF_XC pic.twitter.com/REhIn2Fvu5
— Kelley Hubbell (@coach_hubbell) March 30, 2018
The @Witt_TandF_XC men's 4x100m relay team picked up their first win of the day in a time of 43.06! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/gefi1PGcEm
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
Over at the men's high jump, Tay Morton clears six feet on his third attempt! #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/S47lxfBbxQ
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
The action continues for @Witt_TandF_XC in the women's javelin #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/Li1NB4dtTs
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018
The field events are underway over at Bill Edwards Field, starting with women's shot put #TigerUp pic.twitter.com/MNwRzr32zC
— Wittenberg Athletics (@WittAthletics) March 30, 2018