NEW CONCORD, Ohio — The Marietta College track and field team had a strong showing at the Muskie Meet #2 hosted by Muskingum University Saturday (Jan. 24). The Pioneer men finished fourth, while the women placed sixth in the team standings.
 
Otterbein won the men's team title with 213 total points. Muskingum was second with 90 points, followed by St. Vincent (78 points), Marietta (63.5), Waynesburg (61.5), Washington & Jefferson (61), Mount Union (48), Franciscan (26), Chatham (10), and Geneva (7).
 
The Pioneers had a pair of second place finishers. Max King (Granville, Ohio/Granville) took second in the 500-meter dash with a time of 1:09.86 and Andrew Franchini (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) was second in the weight throw with a mark of 14.94 meters (49' 0.25").
 
Cael McCutcheon (Point Pleasant, W.Va./Point Pleasant) scored points in both the pole vault and triple jump. He placed third in the pole vault clearing a height of 4.25 meters (13'11.25") and was sixth in the triple jump with a leap of 11.28 meters (37'0.25"). Kallen Wilson (Logan, Ohio/Logan) notched a pair of personal records scoring in the weight throw and shot put. He had a mark of 14.43 meters (47'4.25") to place third in the weight throw and 12.92 meters (42'4.75") to finish tenth in the shot. Gunner Fertig (Eleanor, W.Va./Buffalo) also scored in two events. He was seventh in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.29 seconds and was eighth in the high jump with a height of 1.73 meters (5'8").
 
Marietta's other scoring performances included Zavier Lindsay (Columbus, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) finishing third in the 400-meter dash with a time of 52.29 seconds; Matthew Siegler (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) placed sixth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.36 seconds; Hayden Bays (Marion, Ohio/Marion Harding) placed eighth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.59; Hunter Uptain (Millersburg, Ohio/West Holmes) was seventh in the 3000-meter run with a personal record time of 9:36.63; Evan Fee (Newark, Ohio/Licking Valley) took fourth in the weight throw with a mark of 13.47 meters (44'2.5"); Ryan House (New Concord, Ohio/John Glenn) was fifth in the weight throw with a personal record distance of 13.45 meters (44'1.5"); and Cade Miracle (Galion, Ohio/Northmor) placed fifth in the pole vault with a personal record height of 4.10 meters (13'5.25").
 
Otterbein won the women's team title with 181 points. Washington & Jefferson was second with 105 points, followed by St. Vincent (83.5), Waynesburg (82.5), Muskingum (73), Marietta (55), Mount Union (37), Chatham (16), Franciscan (13), Carlow (13), and Geneva (12).
 
Sophi Merickel (Phoenix, Ariz./Cactus Shadows) led the Pioneer women with a win in the 200-meter dash and a third place showing in the 500-meter dash. Merickel set personal records in both events with a time of 28.47 seconds in the 200m and 1:23.15 in the 500m. Merickel was also a part of Marietta's second place 4x400-meter relay team. Michaela Hieronymus (Letart, W.Va./Wahama) ran the lead leg, followed by Eden Tepe (Oregonia, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame), Merickel, and Lillian Franchino (Waterford, Ohio/Waterford). The Pioneers posted a time of 4:21.17.
 
Hieronymus also scored in the 200m and 500m. She posted a time of 28.72 seconds to place third in the 200m and finished second in the 500m with a time of 1:22.81. Tepe placed fifth in the pole vault clearing a height of 3.09 meters (10'1.5"). Franchino turned in a ninth-place performance in the 400-meter dash with a time of 1:08.41.
 
Audrey Helmick (Berkeley Springs, W.Va./Berkeley Springs) scored in the 800-meter run and the 3000-meter run. She set a new personal record in the 3000m with a time of 11:22.17 to place sixth and was eighth in the 800m with a time of 2:40.50. Sadie Gray (Whipple, Ohio/Marietta) was sixth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 8.55 seconds, and Kileah Lieras-Kelley (Belpre, Ohio/) was fourth in the high jump clearing a personal record height of 1.50 meters (4'11").
 
The Pioneers are back in action next Saturday (Jan. 31) at the Muskie Meet #3 in New Concord. Events start at 11:00 a.m.
 
Fans can follow the Pioneers all season long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.