WILMINGTON, Ohio — Marietta College won six individual events and a pair of relays at the Wilmington College Invitational Saturday (April 18), its final tune-up for the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference Track & Field Championship, which will also take place at Wilmington April 24-25. The Pioneer women compiled 141 points to capture runner-up among its seven competitors. The Marietta men finished with 116 points to place fourth against six other schools. [Results]

Marietta's 4x100m Relay teams both ran to victories on Saturday. Freshmen Lauren Asbury (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va./Greenbrier East), Kim Keesler (Chagrin Falls), Brittany Sims (Columbus/Eastmoor Academy) and Corryn Muench (Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic) won the women's event after crossing the line in 50.15 seconds. Freshmen Jayshon Irvin (Vero Beach, Fla./Sebastian), Ryan House (New Concord, Ohio/John Glenn)holder (Frazeysburg/Tri-Valley), Caleb Downey (Heath) and sophomore Matt Hickman (St. Mary's, W.Va.) then won the men's race with a combined time of 42.42 seconds.

The Pioneer men's sprinters also found success in individual events on Saturday. Irvin ran to victory in the 200m Dash after crossing the line in 22.46 seconds. Downey (11.22 seconds) and Hickman (11.37 seconds) finished second and third, respectively, in the 100m Dash. Sophomores Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley) and Josh Bibb (Marietta) then went second and third in the 400m Dash after crossing the line in 50.82 seconds and 50.85 seconds, respectively.

Junior Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) was Marietta's third individual champion on the men's team. Thomas won the 800m Run after running a personal record 1:56.77.

Senior Brian Pallini (Medina) had a pair of second place finishes at the Invitational. He took runner-up in the Hammer Throw with a mark of 50.06m (164-03) and second place in the Shot Put with a mark of 15.19m (49-10.00).

Keesler picked up an individual title in the Pole Vault after clearing 3.34m (10-11.75). Sophomore teammate Olivia Holiday (Malta/Morgan) also cleared the same mark and placed second, while freshman Emma Vierheller (Orrville) finished third after clearing 3.20m (10-06.00).

Senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) won the 400m Dash after finishing in a personal record 58.96 seconds. Sims placed third in the event after crossing the line in 1:01.48.

Junior Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) took home an individual title in the 5,000m Run after covering the distance in 18:58.17. Freshman Reba Leonard (Brookville) followed in third place with a time of 20:18.74.

Senior Tiffany Kovacevich (Strongsville) had a first and second place finish on Saturday. Kovacevich won the Hammer Throw with a top mark of 43.26m (141-11) and then placed runner-up in the Shot Put with a throw of 11.74m (38-06.25). Sophomore Stephanie Hammond (Toledo/Central Catholic) finished second behind her teammate in the Hammer Throw after a top mark of 39.46m (129-05).

Asbury finished second in the 100m Hurdles after crossing the line in 16.42 seconds. Junior Brenda Puckett (Eaton/Preble Shawnee) added another second place finish for the team. She placed runner-up in the 800m Run after finishing in 2:26.15.

Freshman Brittany Sims and the women's 4x100m Relay took first place on Saturday.