Nicole Bailey
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — The Wittenberg men's and women's track and field teams kicked off the 2006 indoor season last weekend with a meet at Otterbein. The Tigers were one of three teams involved in the non-scored meet.The top performances were turned in by sophomore Nicole Bailey (Cincinnati, Ohio/Summit Country Day) and senior Gregg Carter (Wellsville, Ohio/Wellsville). Both got off to outstanding starts as they set lofty goals for themselves this season.
Bailey, who earned multiple All-North Coast Athletic Conference honors and posted an NCAA Division III provisional qualifying time in the 55 meters a year ago, picked up right where she left off in 2005. Bailey finished first in the long jump with an indoor personal best of 16-8.5, first in the triple jump with a mark of 34-10.5, and first in the 55 meters with a time of 7.67, eight-tenths of second slower than her preliminary time of 7.59. All three of Bailey's marks met the NCAC additional qualifying standard, meaning that Wittenberg will be allowed to enter more than three athletes in those events at the conference championship meet in March.
Carter finished first in the long jump with a mark of 22-4.5, which was more than a foot better than his previous personal best, and he added a first in the 55 meters with a personal-best-tying time of 6.63. His times also met the NCAC additional qualifying standard.
The Tigers' only other first-place finisher at Otterbein was senior Anna Finkelstein (Whitehall, Mich./Reeths-Puffer), who took the top spot in the 1000 meters in a time of 3:23.02. In addition, freshman Katie Shoemaker (Arcanum, Ohio/Franklin Monroe) made a strong debut with a second place in the 500 meters.
On the men's side, sophomore Mike Echols (Springfield, Ohio/North) placed second in the 800 meters, senior Andy Karcher (Oceola, Ohio/Bucyrus Wynford) was second in the shot put, freshman Gabe Savage (Lewisburg, Ohio/Tri-Valley) placed third in the 800 meters, senior Tom Smith (Hudson, Ohio/Hudson) added a third in the 55-meter hurdles and senior Thomas Dillingham (Cincinnati, Ohio/Princeton) captured fourth in the shot put.
In addition, two freshmen made strong debuts. Mark King (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis) placed first in the 400 meters in a time of 53.62 and 4th in the 300 meters with a personal best time of 39.57, and Manoach Lamarre (Miami, Fla./Bellen Jesuit) placed second in the 55 meters and first in the 300 meters, both with personal best and NCAC additional qualifying standards times.
The Tigers return to action this weekend at Marietta, their final tune-up before the annual NCAC Relays at Denison on Jan. 28.