MARIETTA, Ohio — The Marietta College men's and women's track and field team sent athletes to compete in a pair of meets Friday and Saturday (Jan. 30-31). Several athletes ran events at the unscored Youngstown State Mid-Major Invitational, while most of the team competed at Muskingum in the Muskie #3 Meet.
 
The Pioneer men placed fifth in the Muskie #3 Meet with 60 points. Mount Vernon Nazarene won the team title with 176 points, followed by Walsh (146.5 points), Muskingum (81.5), Wooster (77), Marietta, Earlham (27), and Bethany (14).
 
Mount Vernon Nazarene also won the women's team title with 164 total points. Walsh was second with 100 points, followed by Muskingum (86.5 points), Wooster (59), Earlham (57.5), Marietta (24.5), and Ohio Dominican (10).
 
Marietta had several personal record performances at Youngstown State. Sophi Merickel (Phoenix, Ariz./Cactus Shadows) set new personal bests in the 400-meter dash (1:01.50) and the 500-meter dash (1:21.07). Leilani Navarro (Mineral Wells, W.Va./Wood County Christian School) also doubled setting PR's in the 800-meter run (2:50.83) and the 1000-meter run (3:48.06).
 
On the men's side three Pioneers set a pair of personal records at YSU. Ryan Bertolino (Marlton, N.J./Paul VI) did so in the 1000-meter run (2:46.70) and the mile run (4:54.19). Charles Estadt (Caldwell, Ohio/Shenandoah) had PR's in the 3000-meter run (9:58.28) and the 5000-meter run (17:53.24), while Aiden Westerman (Vincent, Ohio/Warren Local) did so in the 5000m (17:18.14) and the mile run (4:56.23). Other personal records at YSU included Max King (Granville, Ohio/Granville) in the 400-meter dash (51.21), Kevin Hernandez (Plymouth, Ohio/Willard) in the 3000m (9:44.55), and Hunter Uptain (Millersburg, Ohio/West Holmes) in the 5000m (16:44.12).
 
Earning points for the Pioneer women at Muskingum was Eden Tepe (Oregonia, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) with a second-place finish in the pole vault with a height of 3.24 meters (10'7.5"). Kileah Lieras-Kelley (Belpre, Ohio/) placed third in the high jump with a height of 1.40 meters (4'7.0"). Sadie Gray (Whipple, Ohio/Marietta) placed fourth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 28.92 seconds. Tepe was sixth in the 200m with a personal record time of 29.47 seconds.
 
Audrey Helmick (Berkeley Springs, W.Va./Berkeley Springs) was sixth in the 3000m run with a personal best time of 11:22.17 and finished eighth in the 800m with a time of 2:40.50. Adrianna Potts (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) turned in a seventh-place finish in the 400m with a personal record time of 1:25.48, while Lillian Franchino (Waterford, Ohio/Waterford) was eighth in the long jump with a distance of 4.44 meters (14'7"). Emily Comiskey (Shirley, N.Y./Longwood) set a personal record in the weight throw with a mark of 6.49 meters (21' 3.5").
 
Two Pioneers finished third in their respective events for the men at Muskingum. Zavier Lindsay (Columbus, Ohio/Gahanna Lincoln) posted a time of 54.0 seconds in the 400m, while Cael McCutcheon (Point Pleasant, W.Va./Point Pleasant) cleared a height of 4.25 meters (13'11.25") in the pole vault. Cooper Warren (Logan, Ohio/Logan) was fourth in the pole vault with a personal record height of 3.95 meters (12'11.5").
 
Kallen Wilson (Logan, Ohio/Logan) set two personal bests in the meet placing fifth in the shot put with a mark of 13.47 meters (44'2.5") and sixth in the weight thrown with a distance of 14.54 meters (47'8.5"). Andrew Franchini (Lancaster, Ohio/Lancaster) was fifth in the weight throw posting a personal record mark of 15.09 meters (49' 6.25").
 
Gunner Fertig (Eleanor, W.Va./Buffalo) scored in three events. He placed sixth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 9.22 seconds, was seventh in the long jump with a personal record leap of 5.78 meters (18'11.75"), and was eighth in the high jump clearing the bar at 1.73 meters (5'8").
 
Vante' Hodges (Horn Lake, Miss./Horn Lake) took sixth in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.28 seconds. Isaiah Mitchell (Hebron, Ohio/Lakewood) and Ray Kelley (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Xavier) finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 200-meter dash with time of 23.81 seconds and 23.85 seconds. Matthew Fehrman (Newark, Ohio/Licking Valley) was sixth in the 500-meter dash with a personal record time of 1:15.51, while Aiden Keener (Orrville, Ohio/Smithville) was eighth with a personal best time of 1:19.25. keener also set a personal record in the 1000-meter run with a time of 3:18.21. Justin Marcum had a PR in the long jump with a mark of 5.73 meters (18'9.75").
 
The Pioneers' other team points came from a second-place finish in the 4x200-meter relay. Marietta crossed the line in 1:33.74. Isaiah Creditt-Commodore (Xenia, Ohio/Xenia) ran the lead leg, followed by Mitchell, Kelley, and Lindsay.
 
Marietta is back in action this Friday (Feb. 6) at the Dan Kinsey Invitational hosted by Oberlin College. Events start at 5:00 p.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.