2008 Marietta College track & field preview
Pioneers looking to move to next level in Ohio Athletic Conference

Jan. 9, 2008
MARIETTA, Ohio — Head Coach Derek Stanley is looking to take his 2008 Marietta College track & field team to the next level. Stanley, now in his fifth season, expects nearly 60 student-athletes to join the team in late January when the Pioneers begin the bulk of their schedule, which will include six home indoor and three home outdoor meets.

The Pioneers, who have been building their depth since being reinstated in 2003, return five All-Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) performers from last year’s team, which saw its women take ninth and men place tenth at the OAC Indoor Championships. The men collected seven points and the women had 26.5 points in the indoor competition. Outdoors, the both teams improved their point totals but their positions stayed the same; the men earned 30 points and the women finished with 41 points.

Junior thrower Derek Carpenter, who won the OAC’s Hammer Throw last spring, returns after having the most success last year. He will get plenty of help leading the team from seniors Harrison Potter (Steeplechase), John Hull (10K) and Dan DeZordo (Discus and Shot Put), as well as juniors Jered Mitchem (800m) and Brian Pallini (Javelin and Hammer Throw) and sophomores Josh Mickle (Mile) and Chad Byers (Javelin and Discus). Newcomers expected to make an immediate impact on the men’s team’s point totals include Anthony Williams (400m Dash), Max Kenngott (5K and 10K), Matt Hickman (100m and 200m) and Seth Beckner (Pole Vault).

Senior jumps specialist Breanne Kosar, who placed third in the High Jump, and junior middle distance runner Jesse Larrison, who took second place in the 800m Run, both earned All-OAC during the indoor season last year. In addition, sophomore thrower Danielle Altenhof, who finished second in the Discus, and senior thrower Rachelle Cole, who placed second in the Hammer Throw, received All-OAC honors outdoors. These four, when combined with senior Sheena Spencer (400m Hurdles) and junior Tiffany Kovacevich (Shot Put and Hammer Throw), as well as sophomores Randi Robertson (5K) and Shannon McDonald (10K), give Marietta the opportunity to score a lot of points in 2007-08. Freshmen Tara Leach (sprints and Long Jump), Erika Shafer (sprints), Kimberly Dent (Discus) and Olivia Holiday (Pole Vault) should also provide consistent scoring at major meets this season.

The Pioneers have open home indoor meets scheduled for Jan. 19, Jan. 26, Feb. 15, Feb. 23 and March 1. Marietta will also compete at the OAC Relays, hosted by Ohio Northern, on Feb. 1, as well as the All-Ohio Championships and OAC Championships, hosted by Otterbein, on Feb. 9 and March 7-8, respectively. The outdoor schedule includes three straight home meets—the OAC Gold Meet on March 29, the Don Frail Invitational on Apr. 5 and the Marietta/Muskingum Dual Meet on Apr. 8. In addition, the All-Ohio Championships will take place at Ohio Wesleyan on Apr. 12 and the OAC Championships are slated for Apr. 25-26 at Muskingum.

Senior Breanne Kosar (above) and junior Derek Carpenter (below) will lead the Pioneers in 2008