Delaware, Ohio – The Wittenberg University Outdoor Track & Field squads faced a tough test on Saturday at the 2019 All-Ohio Outdoor Championships, held inside historic Selby Stadium on the campus of Ohio Wesleyan University. The women's team finished eighth out of 18 total teams, and third out of six NCAC teams, with 41 total points, while the men's team finished 16th out of 20 total teams with 14 points. Otterbein was the team champion in both genders as the Cardinals scored 140.50 points on the men's side and totaled 125 points in the women's competition.
On the men's side, senior Kyle Farnbauch was the lone athlete to crack the top-eight in an individual event to pick up All-Ohio honors. In the event that featured 17 total runners, Farnbauch smashed his season-best time in the 400-meter hurdles after stopping the clock seventh overall with a time of 56.99. In addition to the individual performance, Farnbauch was also a part of both relay teams that picked up top-eight showings on the day, led by the 4x100 team that finished third overall with a time of 43.48. Farnbauch was joined on the 4x100 by junior Tyler Branton, senior Matt Entsminger and junior Brandon Johnson. Finally, the men's 4x400 team of sophomore Austyn Albanese, freshman Joshua Finkeldey, sophomore Maurice Graham and Farnbauch finished seventh overall with a time of 3:26.30.
Four different women's athletes notched top-eight, All-Ohio performances on the day, led by the duo of junior Alexis Gray and sophomore Marteana Newton each finishing as a runner-up in a running event. Newton, who entered the meet with the NCAC's top time in the 400-meter run with a time of 59.05, improved upon that time stamp on Saturday by finishing second out of 16 total runners with a time of 58.89. In the women's 800-meter run, Gray jumped back to the top of the list in the NCAC after posting a blistering time of 2:14.93 on Saturday to finish second out of 28 total runners in the event. In addition to Gray and Newton, two Wittenberg athletes posted All-Ohio performances in the women's triple jump, led by sophomore Alexis Johnson finishing fifth out of 18 athletes with a combined jump of 10.73 meters. Freshman Stevie Plikerd also cracked the top-8 in the event, finishing eighth overall with a season-best jump of 10.49 meters. The women's team also had both of its relay teams finish in the top-8 and earn All-Ohio honors, led by the team of sophomore Ryelee Clary, freshman Alexis Walker, sophomore Preslee Rolf and Plikerd finishing fifth overall in the 4x100 with a time of 50.04 seconds. In addition, the grouping freshman Gabriella Smith, Gray, sophomore Taylor Barnhisel and freshman Maxine Wishman finished seventh overall in the 4x400 with a time of 4:07.43.
The Tigers will now host their annual home Wittenberg Invitational this Friday (4/19) at 11:00 a.m. at the Earl F. Morris Track in Springfield.