April 13, 2012
By: Jordan Hill, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - Eleven Bluffton University track and field athletes will be competing in the annual Division III All-Ohio Outdoor Championship on Saturday, April 14, 2012. Unlike the Indoor Championship meet, where only the top 16 athletes in each event are invited to compete, athletes must meet qualifying standards in their respective events to be eligible to compete in the Outdoor Championship. If there is an event in which a team does not have any qualified athletes, the team may choose to enter one athlete in that event. Eight Bluffton athletes have met the qualifying standards for their events and the coaches have selected three additional athletes to compete.
Two Bluffton women have qualified in field events. Senior thrower MEGAN NEAL (Arlington) has qualified for two field events. First, she will compete in her premier event, the hammer. With a season-best mark of 47.48 meters (155'9 feet), Neal is ranked 3rd out of 35 competitors. She will also compete in the javelin, where her season-best throw of 30.53 meters (100'2 feet) currently places her 18th out of 25 competitors. Sophomore JULIE COURT (Galion) has qualified for the hammer. Her personal best mark of 30.70 meters (100'9 feet) places her 32nd in the field of 35. This will be her first time competing in the All-Ohio Championships.
Three Bluffton women have qualified in track events. Sophomore BRANDI DOMINIQUE (Wauseon) qualified for the meet with a personal-best time of 2:22.91. This is the first she has qualified for the outdoor meet and she is ranked 14th in a field of 32 competitors. Sophomore KAYLA MULLENHOUR (Delphos/Jefferson) will be making her second qualified appearance in the 400-meter hurdles. Her personal-best time of 68.42 currently ranks her 8th out of 23 competitors. Junior ALISON JANZEN (Whitewater, Kan./Remington) will cover the distance for the Bluffton women as she has qualified in the 5,000-meters. Her personal-best time of 19:30.71 ranks her 30th with a field of 35 competitors. This is her first time qualifying for the championship meet.
Two freshmen have qualified in field events on the men's side. JEFF PARKER (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) has qualified in the javelin. His personal-best mark of 50.20 meters (164'9 feet) currently ranks him 3rd out of 20 competitors. TRAVAUN REAVES (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) will compete in the high jump. With a current mark of 6-00 feet, he is 15th in a field of 18 athletes.
On the track, senior ANDY CHAFFEE (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) has qualified for the 3,000-meter steeplechase. His personal-best time of 10:25.38 ranks him 26th out of 31 competitors. Although this marks his third appearance at the championship meet, it is the first time he has qualified.
Three additional athletes will represent Bluffton in the championship meet. Freshman JENNA STRAUSS (Bridgeport) will compete in the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump. Senior BRYAN HECKATHORN (Hartville/Lake) will make his second outdoor All-Ohio appearance and compete in the hammer. Freshman RYAN SCHADEWALD (Lima/Bath) will compete in the 5,000-meters.
Ohio Wesleyan University will be hosting the event, with field events starting at 10 AM and track events starting at 12 PM.
-BEAVERS-