SEASON RECAP

By nearly every measure, Wittenberg's men's and women's cross country and track programs continue to improve and place their marks not only on the North Coast Athletic Conference but on NCAA Division III in general. The Tiger men swept NCAC titles in cross country, indoor and outdoor track in 1996-97, while the Tiger women won the school's first-ever title in indoor track.

CROSS COUNTRY

Wittenberg's men's team captured the school's first-ever conference championship in cross country last fall when it tied Earlham for the league title. The Tigers used balance to win the crown, as junior Isaac Barnes (Williamsport, O./Williamsport) was fourth in 26:39.78, followed by senior Layne Schwier (Richmond, Ind./Richmond), 11th, 27:18.42; senior Dave Norton (Chardon, O./Chardon), 14th, 27:41.15 and senior Nathan Anderson (Carmel, Ind./Carmel), 21st, 27:59.82. Coach Tracey Hollenbaugh was named co-Coach of the Year. The women's cross country team finished sixth at the NCAC meet.

MEN CAPTURE NCAC OUTDOOR TITLE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR

Wittenberg's men's track team won its third consecutive North Coast Athletic Conference Championship May 2-3 in the meet held at Earl F. Morris Track at Wittenberg.

The Tiger men won three events and scored in all but one. The Tigers tallied 161 points to runner-up Allegheny's 120.5 in blustery, cold and rainy conditions over both days of competition.

Junior Jason Love, competed for the first time in over a month due to a knee injury, won the long jump for the second consecutive year with a jump of 23-8 and qualified priovisionally for the NCAA Division III Track & Field Championships.

Love also anchored the winning 400-meter relay which won in 42.86 and included freshman Reggie Pace (Columbus, O./Hartley), senior Scott Rickel (Port Clinton, O./Port Clinton) and sophomore Ken Pope (Cincinnati, O./Purcell Marian).

Love also took second in the 100-meter dash (11.23) and in the 200-meter dash (22.91).

In addition to helping the 400-meter relay, Rickel won the 400-meter dash in 50.17 and was third in the 200 in 23.05 and anchored the second-place 1,600-meter relay which ran a 3:27.63. He also placed sixth in the high jump (5-8 3/4).

Other key scorers included junior Bart Lubbers (Worthington, O./Thomas Worthington) who scored 22 points in five events. He was second in the triple jump (44-10 3/4), fourth in the long jump (22-0 3/4), sixth in the high jump (5-8 3/4), fifth in the 100- meters (11.61) and seventh in the 200 meters (23.69); senior Doug Broshar (Gahanna, O./Gahanna Lincoln) who had 21 points as he was second in the shot put (46-11), second in the discus (146-2 and fourth in the javelin (177-1); and sophomore Nathan Kaufman (Prospect, O./Marion Elgin) who was second in the 1,500 meters (4:14.28).

Junior Jason Bowe (Canton, O./McKinley Senior) was fourth in the discus (142-8) and junior Eric Johnson (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) was third in the pole vault (13-8).

Wittenberg was represented at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, held May 21-24 at the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse, by the most athletes in school history. Junior Jason Love (Columbus, O./St. Charles Prep) participated for the second straight year in the long jump; sophomore Missy Novak (Worthington, O./Thomas Worthington) was in the shot put and discus, also for the second straight year; and the women's 400-meter relay of Sondraye Smith (Warren, O./John F. Kennedy), Stacy Walker (Summit, N.J./Summit), Amber Barr (Columbus, O./Columbus School for Girls) and Lori Lyle (Middletown, O./Middletown) also qualified. Lyle earned All-America honors in the 100-meter dash by placing eighth in a time of 12.43 Novak also qualified and participated in the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships in March at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.

TIGER MEN WIN SECOND STRAIGHT LEAGUE INDOOR TITLE

Wittenberg won six events and posted 13 top-three finishes on the way to its second consecutive NCAC indoor team title in March. Wittenberg totaled 149 points to 99 for second place Wooster.

Wittenberg was led by junior Jason Love (Columbus, O./St. Charles Prep) who repeated as Most Outstanding Field Event Performer and added the title of Most Outstanding Sprinter after winning three individual events. Love defended his title in the long jump (22-10) in addition to wins in the 55 (6.59) and 300 (35.33), breaking the NCAC record in the latter. He also placed second in the triple jump and anchored the winning 4 x 200 meter relay (1:33.48). The Tigers' other wins came from junior Bart Lubbers (Columbus, O./Worthington) in the triple jump (44-5 1/2) and senior Scott Rickel (Port Clinton, O./Port Clinton) in the 400 (50.29).

TIGER WOMEN TAKE FIRST-EVER LEAGUE INDOOR TITLE

Wittenberg won six events and posted 10 top-three finishes to claim its first team title in the North Coast Athletic Conference Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships held in March.

Wittenberg, which had improved from fifth place to second over the previous three seasons, compiled 11.5 points to depose Allegheny, which had won four of the past five championships. Wooster scored 104.5 points to take second place.

The Tigers were led by junior Stacy Walker (Summit, N.J./Summit) who earned Most Outstanding Sprinter honors after winning the 300 (42.92) and 400 (1:01.48) in addition to anchoring the winning 4x200 (1:48.56) and 4x400 (4:11.10) relays. Both relays broke conference records. Wittenberg also got individual wins from sophomore Missy Novak (Worthington, O./Worthington) in the shot put (41-7 1/2) and senior Lori Lyle (Middletown, O./Middletown) in the 55 (7.58).

WALKER LEADS WOMEN TO SECOND PLACE AT NCAC OUTDOOR

Wittenberg's women's track team took second to Ohio Wesleyan in the North Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Track Championships held May 2-3 at Wittenberg's Earl F. Morris Track.

Junior Stacy Walker was named the Most Outstanding Sprinter of the Meet, repeating that honor from the indoor championship, as she won two events and was a key member of two winning relay teams.

Walker won the 200-meter dash in 26.78 and the 400-meter dash in 1:00.64, led off the winning 1,600-meter relay (4:10.35) and was the second leg of the winning 400-meter relay (49.51).

Also turning in an impressive performance was senior Lori Lyle who won the 100-meter dash in 12.76 and was second in the 200-meter dash (26.79) and anchored the 400-meter relay. Lyle had won the 100 and 200-meter dashes as a freshman in 1994 but did not participate in track the last two years.

Sophomore Missy Novak took seconds in the shot put ( 38-10 1/4) and the discus (117-5). Freshman Emily Brown (Pickerington, O./Pickerington) played a key role as she placed second in the 400-meter dash (1:02.26) and anchored the winning 1,600 relay.

Senior Shondraye Smith scored points with a second in the 100 meters (13.01), a fourth in the 200 meters (27.73) and was a member of the 400-meter relay. Sophomore Amber Barr took third in the 200 (27.09) and was the third leg of the 400 relay and second leg of the 1,600 relay.

Sophomore Vanessa Crossgrove was third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (12:28.50), while sophomore Courtney Drake (Medina, O./Medina) took second in the league's first-ever women's pole vault competition at 8-0.