By Tim Stried, SID
April 27, 2002

Bluffton College won four individual events as the Beavers welcomed the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference to the Emery Sears Athletic Complex for the 2002 track and field championships on Saturday, April 27.

Freshman Amanda Habegger won the 400 meter hurdles in 1:07.92 and sophomore Laurel Miller won the triple jump with a leap of 32-06.25 to lead the BC women's squad, while sophomore Ryan Nusbaum won the 100 meter dash in 11.48 and Clint Dillon won the pole vault with a height of 13-06 to lead the men.

Bluffton placed fourth overall on the men's side and finished just one point away from third place. The Beavers finished fifth overall on the women's side and were just 11 points away from the third spot.

Habegger also placed fourth in the 100 meter hurdles, while Miller finished fifth in that event and placed fourth in the high jump. Freshman Jana Hammer placed third in both the 100 meter dash and 200 meter dash.

Nusbaum nearly swept the short sprints, as he finished second in the 200 meter dash. Dillon also placed sixth in the long jump narrowly missed at 15-3.0 in the pole vault, which would have provisionally qualified him for the NCAA nationals.

BC finished one-two in the pole vault as sophomore Randy Hart placed second with a vault of 13-00. Senior Rick Orr placed third in the shot put, while freshmen Jason Lehman and Chris Mackey both placed in two events.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Women's field events MVP: Angie Wittenmyer, Defiance College
Men's field events MVP: David Jackson, Anderson University

Women's track events MVP: Lisa Nicholson, Anderson University
Men's track events MVP: Jason Kolkmeier, Anderson University

Women's Freshman of the Year: Laura Johnson, Defiance College
Men's Freshman of the Year: John McColl, Defiance College

Women's Coach of the Year: Brian Cashdollar, Manchester College
Men's Coach of the Year: Larry Maddox, Anderson University

-BEAVERS-