Tim Gaal
The Wittenberg men's and women's track and field teams are in
the midst of the biggest week of the outdoor season, and the
momentum gained from the first weekend of competition in the North
Coast Athletic Conference Championships could serve the team well
as they compete at Ohio Wesleyan on Friday and Saturday.
Senior Tim Gaal (Amanda, Ohio/Clearcreek) extended
Wittenberg's dominance in the decathlon to six straight years. Josh
Guerreri won three straight decathlon crowns from 1999-2001, and he
holds the school record of 6427 en route to qualifying for the NCAA
Division III Championships in 2001. Brian Gehle finished second in
2001 and then captured the top spot in 2002. And Gaal has won the
last two titles.
Junior Joe Rumschlag (Maumee, Ohio/Toledo
Christian) led after the first day and finished a close
second to give the Tigers their third one-two finish in the event
in the last four years. In addition, sophomore Chad Kresser
(Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) placed fifth to give the Tigers a
combined total of 23 team points heading into the meet this
weekend.
Gaal was named NCAC Field Events Athlete of the Week for his
performance at the decathlon and for winning the javelin at the
Otterbein Mid-Week Qualifier on Wednesday. Rumschlag earned NCAC
Sprinter/Hurdler of the Week for his decathlon finish, in
combination with a second-place finish in the 100 meters at
Otterbein. He then ran a personal-best 11.03 in the 100 at the
decathlon.
In addition, senior Skip Ivery (Columbus,
Ohio/Groveport-Madison) finished second in the 110-meter
hurdles at the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by Ohio State on Friday.
The meet was filled with NCAA Division I and II competitors.
In the heptathlon, senior Geri Woessner (Dayton,
Ohio/Oakwood) extended her dominance in the event, winning
with an NCAC and Wittenberg record 4455 points. She has won the
event three times in her four years at Wittenberg, her win streak
interrupted last year by a second-place finish just a few months
after suffering a major knee injury.
Woessner's point total was good for a provisional qualifying
standard for the NCAA Division III Championship meet. She has never
competing in the national meet.
Woessner was NCAC Field Events Athlete of the Week for her
performance in the heptathlon, for taking first place in the
javelin at the Otterbein meet and for reaching a provisional mark
in the javelin at the heptathlon. In addition, senior Becky
Barnes (Williamsport, Ohio/Westfall) finished first in the
1500 meters at the Otterbein Qualifier, which earned her NCAC
Distance Events Athlete of the Week.