February 23, 2008

ADA, Ohio - The Bluffton University track and field teams wrapped up their 2008 indoor campaign at Ohio Northern on Friday, February 22, 2008. The women defeated Tri-State University on their way to a fourth place finish, while the men placed fifth out of five teams. The host Polar Bears took home top honors for both the men and women.

Senior SARAH HUMPHREY (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) again picked up the lone first place finish for the Beavers, topping a talented group of distance runners in the 5,000 meters with a time of 19:39.25. Leading Bluffton with 20 points in her individual events as well as being a part of the third place 4x200 meter relay team was junior ASHLEY SMITH (Delta/Delta). She took second in the high jump (4-06.00), and fifth place in the long jump (15-07.50), the 200 meters (28.58) and the 400 meters (1:05.11). Joining Smith on the third place relay squad were SARAH BINKLEY (Bluffton/Cory-Rawson), MEGAN KOCH (Elida/Elida) and MEGHAN FORQUER (North Canton/Green).

The Beavers' Megan Koch and Sarah Binkley both captured third place in their respective events. Koch placed third in the 200 meter dash (28.45) and Binkley finished third in the 800 meter run (2:45.40). Meghan Forquer added a point with her eighth place finish in the 55 meter dash (8.58).

Pacing the Beavers in the running events with 12 points was sophomore ROB JOHNSON(Columbus/Marion Franklin). He crossed the line second in the 200 meters with a time of 23.81 and fifth in the 55 meter dash (6.83). Senior REX BROWN (Wauseon/Pettisville) took fifth place in the 400 meters (54.37) while fellow upperclassman TYLER FAIRCHILD(Toledo/Whitmer) placed fifth in the 500 meter run (1:12.28). A trio of Beavers picked up points in the 800 meters. BEN ALTHAUS (Delhi, NY/Delhi) led the way in fourth place (2:11.16) and he was followed by MIKE KOCH (Liberty Center/Liberty Center) and BEN SIEBERT(Celina/Celina) who finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

The 4x400 meter relay team added a third place finish for the Beavers with a time of 3:41.51. Members of the group included Althaus, Brown, Fairchild and COLLIN WAGNER(Pettisville/Pettisville). Freshman MIKE TIMPE (Swanton/Swanton) took fifth in the triple jump (34-01.25) and eighth in the high jump (5-06.00). Adding a point with his eighth place showing in the 1,000 meters was freshman BRIAN TIMPE (Wauseon/Pike-Delta-York).

Sophomore standout JASON FISHER (Rockford/Parkway) placed second in the shot put (45-08.50) and fifth in the weight throw (43-05.75) for a total of 12 points. Also chipping in with a point for his effort in the shot put was freshman JARED AUER (Curtice/Genoa Local).

The Beavers' indoor season is now complete. Bluffton will open its 2008 outdoor campaign on Friday, March 21, when the Beavers travel to Defiance College for the Dick Small Invitational.

-BEAVERS-