April 12, 2003

by Nate Smith

Three more women's track and field records fell at the Yellow Jacket Classic in Defiance Saturday, as both the men's and women's track teams claimed third-place finishes overall.

Sophomore Amanda Habegger broke the longest standing record in the women's book with a time of 16.39 in the 100 meter hurdles, finishing first in the race and breaking a 24-year old Bluffton record. She was joined in her efforts by junior Rachel Noirot and freshman Lauren Borga. Noirot added nearly a half-foot to her previous record in the pole vault by clearing 8' 6", while Borga staked claim to the 5,000 meter record with a winning time of 19:43.0. Habegger now owns both hurdle records, while Borga now owns records to the two longest distances in track.

The women claimed seven first-place finishes in the meet, while the men captured an additional two titles. Bluffton's women (20-8) finished the meet with 156.5 overall points, just 1.5 points shy of 2nd-place Spring Arbor and 7 points behind 1st-place Defiance, in a tight battle for the team title. The men (12-18) finished with 99.5 overall points, just 2 points shy of 2nd-place Heidelberg. Six different athletes won events for the women, as their sprint team also captured the 4x100 meter relay. Event winners included Laurel Miller (TJ - 32' 9"), Habegger (100HH), Jana Hammer (100m - 12.98), Rita Muether (200m - 26.70), and Lauren Borga (5000m). The winning 4x100 team (51.45) was comprised of Habegger, Hammer, Muether, and Marquita Miller. For the men, event winners were Jeremy King (HJ - 6' 2") and Al Pearson (400m - 50.51).

With a number of top performances and season-best marks set on the best day of competition so far for the Beavers, the following is a list of additional top marks from the meet. The Beavers next competition will be this coming weekend, with the All-Ohio Division III Championships, April 18-19, at Otterbein (4/18) and Ohio Wesleyan (4/19).

MEN

Hammer: Jeff Lehman (111-3)

Javelin: Steve Borga (123-3)

Shot: Jeff Lehman (42-10.25), Travis Lepley (41-10.5)

4x100 meter relay (Dodds, Lehman, Pearson, Nusbaum) - 43.69

110 meter high hurdles: Troy Baumer (16.50)

Pole Vault: Fred Yoder (13-0)

400 meters: Troy Baumer (51.95)

100 meters: Ryan Nusbaum (11.28)

200 meters: Al Pearson (23.16)

4x400 meter relay (Pearson, Lehman, Yoder, Baumer) - 3:31.19

WOMEN

High Jump: Stephanie Welch (5-2), Laurel Miller (4-10), Kirstie Dravenstott (4-10)

Shot: Michele Bailey (33-7)

Javelin: Katie Snyder (80-0.25)

100 meter high hurdles: Laurel Miller (16.81)

Pole Vault: Amanda Habegger (8-0), Katie Snyder (7-6)

400 meters: Rita Muether (61.89)

4x400 meter relay (Muether, M. Miller, Welch, Habegger) - 4:16.08