COLUMBUS, Ohio — Select members of the Marietta College Track & Field team traveled to the Jesse Owens Invitational Saturday (May 2) looking either qualify or improve their provisional marks for the upcoming 2009 NCAA Track & Field Outdoor Championship, which will take place in Marietta, Ohio, May 21-23.

The women's 4x400m Relay, which featured freshman Corryn Muench (Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic), junior Christi Tims (Olmsted Township/Olmsted Falls), senior Jessi Larrison (Batavia) and senior Sheena Spencer (Marietta/Parkersburg), inched closer to a NCAA provisional mark and set a new school record on Saturday. The Pioneers combined to cross the line in 3:56.95, breaking their old mark of 3:56.95, which was set earlier this season. Marietta finished just 0.35 seconds off that sought-after provisional mark.

Marietta sophomore Zach Gay (Elyria/Oberlin) has already provisionally qualified in the High Jump after clearing 2.02m earlier this season. He attempted to improve that mark on Saturday. He successfully cleared 1.97m but then took three unsuccessful attempts at a mark near 2.10m.

The men's 4x100m Relay also competed in the meet. Freshman Caleb Downey (Heath), freshman Jayshon Irvin (Vero Beach, Fla./Sebastian), freshman Rodney Endicott (Lavalette, W.Va./Wayne) and sophomore Matt Hickman (St. Marys, W.Va.) ran its race in 42.19 seconds, just off school record pace. The provisional mark that they are attempting to go under is 41.90 seconds.

Freshman Brittany Sims (Columbus/Eastmoor Academy) ran the 400m Hurdles on Saturday and finished in 1:06.70. In addition, freshman Kim Keesler (Chagrin Falls) and sophomore Olivia Holiday (Malta/Morgan) both competed in the Pole Vault. Keesler cleared 3.25m, while Holiday finished with a mark of 3.05m.

Marietta athletes will be back in action on Tuesday (May 5) when they compete at the Dragon Last Chance Meet, hosted by Tiffin University.