WILMINGTON, Ohio — The Marietta College women sit in seventh and the men are in ninth (five points) after day one of the 2009 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Outdoor Track & Field Championship, hosted by Wilmington College.

Marietta's women earned 10 of their 16 points in the Pole Vault as they placed three runners in the top eight. Freshman Kim Keesler (Chagrin Falls) finished fourth after clearing 3.36m (11-00.25). Sophomore Olivia Holiday (Malta/Morgan), the runner-up at last year's event, took sixth and freshman Emma Vierheller (Orrville) placed seventh after both cleared 3.16m (10-04.25).

The Pioneer's other six points came with a third place finish in the 4x800m Relay. Senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) and juniors Brenda Puckett (Eaton/Preble Shawnee), Randi Robertson (Avon Lake) and Logan Wern (North Canton/Hoover) finished with All-OAC honors after they crossed the line in 9:46.32.

Marietta's women also had five student-athletes qualify out of Friday prelims and into Saturday finals. Freshman Brittany Sims (Columbus/Eastmoor Academy) was the top qualifier in the 400m Hurdles after running a 1:04.67. She also qualified in the 100m Dash after running her heat in 12.80 seconds. Senior Sheena Spencer (Marietta/Parkersburg) also qualified in the 400m Hurdles after crossing the line in her prelim with a time of 1:07.42. Keesler will join Sims in the 100m Dash finals after finishing her heat in 13.30 seconds. Freshman Lauren Asbury (White Sulphur Springs, W.Va./Greenbrier East) will also represent Marietta in the finals of the 100m Hurdles after qualifying out of the prelims with a time of 16.29 seconds.

Three of the Pioneer men's five points on Friday were earned in the Javelin Throw. Freshman Harold Early (New Matamoras/River) took seventh in the event with a top mark of 49.30m (161-09), while senior Brian Pallini (Medina) was right behind him in eighth after a throw of 49.21m (161-05).

Marietta's final two points came in the 4x800m Relay when senior Jered Mitchem (Marietta/Warren Local) and juniors Josh Mickle (Madison), Kent Reiber (Avon Lake) and Cody Thomas (North Olmsted) combined for a time of 8:18.53.

Six Pioneer men also qualified to compete in finals on Saturday. Freshman Jayshon Irvin (Vero Beach, Fla./Sebastian) ran the top time in both the 100m Dash (11.24 seconds) and 200m Dash (22.54 seconds). Sophomore Matt Hickman (St. Marys, W.Va.) also qualified in the 100m Dash after crossing the line in 11.27 seconds, while freshman Ryan House (New Concord, Ohio/John Glenn)holder (Frazeysburg/Tri-Valley) will give Marietta two runners in the 200m Dash as well after he qualified with a time of 22.83 seconds. Sophomore Anthony Williams (Columbus/Bishop Hartley) will race in the 400m Dash finals after running a 50.78 second prelim. In addition, freshman James Vogt (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.) qualified in the 110m Hurdles after crossing the line in 16.78 seconds.