Kelly Zilli
The Tiger track and field teams are preparing this week for the
NCAC Indoor Championships, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at
Denison. Last year, Wittenberg finished second in the men's
competition, while the women claimed fourth place.
The Tigers figure to be very much in the mix again in 2003,
especially considering that the men finished second in the NCAC
Relays on Feb. 1 and the women claimed third in that meet. While
that meet with its relay event format isn't a predictor of eventual
championship meet finishes, it can give a pretty good indication of
which teams will be the most competitive.
Junior Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) has not lost to an NCAA Division III competitor in the high hurdles events so far this year, and he has never been defeated in the high hurdles at the NCAC Indoor Championships. Ivery recently broke his own school record in the 55-meter hurdles with a blistering time of 7.60, good for an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time. It is the top time in the event in the NCAC this year.
Demetrius Ellison
Ivery won't be the only big point-scorer for the Tiger men,
however. Junior sprinter Demetrius Ellison (Cleveland,
Ohio/Garfield Heights Trinity) has the top times in the
conference in the 200 and 400-meter races. Coming off an
injury-plagued 2002 campaign, Ellison is a key to the Tigers' hopes
in individual sprint events and the relays.
Speaking of relays, the Tigers' 4x200 relay has turned in the best
time of 2003 after nearly capturing the meet record at the NCAC
Relays. In addition, Wittenberg will need strong performances from
sophomore Joe Rumschlag (Maumee, Ohio/Toledo
Christian) in the long jump, triple jump and relays and
junior Joel Drake (Springfield, Ohio/Shawnee), the
NCAC Indoor Track Field Events Athlete of the Week after winning
the shot put at the DePauw Tiger Invitational.
Blue ribbons earned by Drake and Ivery were the individual
highlights for the Tigers as they finished third out of 12 teams at
DePauw. The Wittenberg women also took third place.
On the women's side, several individuals will have to be at their
best for Wittenberg to keep pace with defending NCAC Indoor
champion Allegheny, which has already claimed the conference cross
country championship and the indoor relays title this year. Among
them is junior Kelly Zilli (Dayton, Ohio/Kettering
Alter), who set a school record in the pole vault last
week at DePauw. Zilli is potentially a big point-scorer in that
event, the 800 meter race and in relays.
The team leader this season has been junior Kristen Mumper
(Cincinnati, Ohio/Purcell Marian), who has broken her own
school record in the triple jump twice this year and has posted an
NCAA Division III provisional qualifying mark of 36 feet, seven
inches. That jump is the best in the NCAC thus far in 2003. Mumper
also scores in the long jump and sprinting events. In addition,
two-time NCAC cross country champion Abi Gerstle
(Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) figures to be a factor in the
distance races and senior Erin Zayicek (Solon,
Ohio/Solon) has the best mark in the NCAC this year in the
weight throw.
Next: Next: 3/7-8 NCAC Championships
at Denison