Marietta women place sixth and men take eighth at OAC Relays
Pioneers combine for four top-three finishes at event

Feb. 1, 2008
ADA, Ohio — The Marietta College women's track team finished sixth and the Pioneer men placed eighth at the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Relays Friday (Feb. 1) night at the ONU Sports Center in Ada, Ohio. The Pioneer women collected 59.50 points to match their finish from a year ago. Marietta's men, which compiled 63 points, moved up one spot from the 2007 event. The Pioneer men had never finished higher than ninth in the event before this season.

Host Ohio Northern won the men's title with 113 points, while Baldwin-Wallace's women took first place after collecting 108 points. Mount Union did not attend the meet, which uses the combination of a school's top two finishes in individual events to determine the amount of points awarded. Therefore, depth has a lot to do with the success of a team at this meet.

Two of Marietta's men accomplished a historical feat for the program on Friday, as junior Brian Pallini (Medina) and junior Derek Carpenter (Belpre) combined to win the Shot Put competition. It was the first time that the Pioneers won an event at the OAC Relays. Pallini, who also won an individual title in the Weight Throw with a mark of 14.71m, finished second overall with a mark of 14.08m, while Carpenter came in fourth with a mark of 13.98m. The Weight Throw in which Pallini won was an exhibition event.

The duo of freshman Justin Floyd (Redford, Mich./Redford Union) and junior Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local) combined for a second place finish in the High Jump; Marietta had not had a second place finish before Friday in this event either. Floyd finished fourth overall after clearing 1.86m, while Mitchem cleared 1.83m and placed seventh.

The Pioneer men also set two school records on the evening. Mitchem, sophomore Josh Mickle (Madison), sophomore Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) and senior Harrison Potter (Rochester, N.Y./Gates Chili) combined to set a school record in the 4x800m Relay, finishing fifth with a time of 8:29.95. Potter, Mitchem and Mickle then teamed up with freshman Randall Freeman (East Cleveland/Shaw) to set the school record in the Distance Medley Relay (DMR). The group also finished fifth, crossing the line in 10:44.05.

Marietta's women also had a pair of top three finishes at the OAC Relays. Senior Breanne Kosar (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) and freshman Ericka Shafer (East Canton) combined to place second in the High Jump, becoming highest finishing duo at the event in school history. Kosar tied for first overall after clearing 1.54m, while Shafer tied for ninth after clearing 1.42m. Marietta then placed third in the Pole Vault. Freshman Olivia Holiday (Malta/Morgan) and sophomore Jen Valentic (Medina/Highland) cleared 2.65m; Holiday took eighth and Valentic tenth as individuals.

Marietta will return to action Friday (Feb. 15) evening when the team competes at the Marietta Open Alumni Meet during Winter Weekend. Members of the squad will also compete Saturday (Feb. 16) at the All-Ohio Championships, which are being hosted by Otterbein College in Westerville. Action begins at 11 a.m.

MEN'S FINAL TEAM RESULTS: 1. Ohio Northern University, 113; 2. Heidelberg College, 110; 3. Otterbein College, 89; 4. Baldwin-Wallace College, 86; 5. Wilmington College, 82; 6. Muskingum College, 70; 7. Capital University, 65; 8. Marietta College, 63; 9. John Carroll University, 51.

WOMEN'S FINAL TEAM RESULTS: 1. Baldwin-Wallace College, 108; 2. Ohio Northern University, 105.5; 3. Otterbein College, 104; 4. Capital University, 91; 5. Heidelberg 73 College; 6. Marietta College, 59.5; 7. Muskingum College, 59; 8. John Carroll University, 54; 9. Wilmington College, 53.

Freshman Justin Floyd helped Marietta finish second in the High Jump

Men's Results

Women's Results