CONWAY, S.C. — The Marietta College track & field team spent the majority of its spring break working out in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The week culminated with the Pioneers participating in their first outdoor action of the season at the Coastal Carolina University Asics Invitational on Friday (March 13) and Saturday (March 14).
Marietta posted 12 Top 10 finishes at the non-scoring meet, set a school record on Friday and came close to breaking both 4x100m Relay school records on Saturday.
Senior Tiffany Kovacevich (Strongsville) broke the school record in the women's Hammer Throw on day one of the competition. She finished fourth with a top mark of 45.33m (148-09). Kovacevich also held the previous school record (45.24m/148-05), a mark she hit last year.
The men's 4x100m Relay, which consisted for freshmen Jayshon Irvin (Vero Beach, Fla./Sebastian), Caleb Downey (Heath), Rodney Endicott (Lavalette, W.Va./Wayne) and sophomore Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley), placed fifth in their event after crossing the line in 43.18 seconds. The school record is a hand time of 43.1 seconds and was set in 1987.
The women's 4x100m Relay, featuring freshmen Kim Keesler (Chagrin Falls), Corryn Muench (Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic), Brittany Sims (Columbus/Eastmoor Academy) and senior Sheena Spencer (Marietta/Parkersburg), put together a 10th place time of 51.13 seconds, just missing the school record set last year of 51.12 seconds.
The Pioneers women's top individual finish came in the High Jump when freshman Ashley Bault (Atwater/Waterloo) cleared 1.50m (4-11.00) to place third overall. Other top performances on the women's side included Spencer's sixth place finish in the 400m Hurdles. She crossed the line in 1:05.70. Keesler took seventh in the Pole Vault after clearing 2.90m (9-06.25). In addition, senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) placed eighth in the 800m Run, covering the distance in 2:21.12.
Marietta's men best individual finish was in the 800m Run. Junior Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) took fourth with a time of 1:58.06. Sophomore Zach Gay (Elyria/Oberlin) placed eighth in the High Jump after clearing 1.90m (6-02.75). Irvin finished ninth in the 100m Dash by running a time of 11.15 seconds. Sophomore Matt Hickman (St. Mary's, W.Va.) also took ninth in the 200m Dash after covering the distance in 23.00 seconds. In addition, the 4x400m Relay team, which was comprised of Thomas, Williams, freshman Brian Farlough (Maple Heights) and sophomore Josh Bibb (Marietta), finished fourth in its event after combining for a time of 3:26.53.
The Pioneers are back in action on Friday (March 20) and Saturday (March 21) when they compete at the Wake Forest Invitational in Winston-Salem, N.C.
