Robertson sets 3,000m record as Marietta competes at Coastal Carolina Invitational
Pioneers have 14 Top 20 performances at first outdoor meet of the season

March 15, 2008
CONWAY, S.C. — Marietta College sophomore Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) toppled a 22-year old school record in the 3,000m Run to highlight the Pioneers' performances at the 2008 Coastal Carolina University Invitational, which took place Friday (March 14) and Saturday (March 15). In addition, Marietta had 13 other Top 20 finishes at the non-scoring meet, the first outdoor competition for the Pioneers this spring.

Robertson, the school record holder in the indoor 3,000m Run, knocked over 12 seconds off Tina Whitney's 1986 time of 10:44.0. Robertson, who finished sixth in the 48-person field on Friday, crossed the line in 10:31.74. She also holds the outdoor record in the 5,000m Run as well as the indoor record in the Mile Run.

Senior Sheena Spencer (Marietta) also had a sixth place finish on Saturday, finishing the 400m Hurdles in 1:06.27. Sophomore Shannon McDonald (Lorain/Amherst Steele) placed seventh in the 10,000m Run, crossing the line in 43:32.42. In addition, senior Rachelle Cole (Sherrodsville/Conotton Valley) took 15th in the Hammer Throw with a mark of 40.39m (132-06). The final Top 20 finish for the women came in the 4x400m Relay when sophomore Brenda Puckett (Eaton/Preble Shawnee), Spencer, sophomore Sarita Dhiraprasiddhi (Hilliard/Darby) and senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) combined to run 4:15.29 and placed 15th.

Senior John Hull (Scott, Depot, W.Va./WInfield) was the highest finishing men's athlete this weekend. The distance runner took eighth in the 10,000m Run after crossing the line in 35:21.57. Senior Dan DeZordo (Louisville/Marlington) had a 10th place finish in the Discus with a scoring mark of 43.65m (143-02).

Marietta also had six individuals place between 11 and 20 in their events. Sophomore Chad Byers (New Matamoras/Frontier) and freshman Max Kenngott (Akron/St. Vincent-St. Marys) took 11th in the Javelin (48.53m/159-03) and 10,000m Run (36:16.69), respectively. Junior Derek Carpenter (Belpre) placed 14th in the Hammer Throw with a mark of 47.39m (155-06). Junior Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local) and sophomore Josh Mickle (Madison) placed 17th in the 400m Run (50.89 seconds) and 1,500m Run (4:07.90), respectively. Junior Brian Pallini (Medina) also took 19th in the Shot Put, throwing 13.51m (44-04.00). In addition, the 4x400m Relay, which featured freshman Randall Freeman (East Cleveland/Shaw), freshman Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley), sophomore Kent Reiber (Avon Lake) and Mitchem, placed 20th with a combined time of 3:37.75.

The Pioneers will return to action March 21-22 when they compete at the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Sophomore Randi Robertson set a school record in the 3,000m Run at the Coastal Carolina Invitational

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