October 6, 2006

DELAWARE, Ohio - The Bluffton University cross country team traveled to Ohio Wesleyan University on Friday, October 6, 2006 to challenge the best runners in the state at the All-Ohio Championships. The men's squad placed 18th out of 21 Division III squads while the women finished 15th out of 17 Division III teams. The Ohio State University men's team claimed the title as Ohio University edged out the Buckeyes for the women's crown.

The Beavers' women team placed two runners in the top 100 of the Division III race. Junior SARAH HUMPHREY (Upper Sandusky/Upper Sandusky) again led the charge for Bluffton with her 56th place finish. Humphrey crossed the line in 21:23.9 and she was followed by sophomore BREE FETTERMAN (North Royalton/Padua) who posted a time of 23:03.1 which placed her 91st. LAUREN BAILEY (Powell/Upper Arlington), JENNIFER THOELE (Laura/Milton Union) and SARAH BINKLEY (Bluffton/Cory-Rawson) rounded out the scorers for the Beavers.

An experienced men's squad, which placed 18th, was led by its senior leaders on a cool and breezy Friday in Delaware. DAVE ESPINOZA (Toledo/Whitmer) was 114th in the Division III race with a time of 31:42.2. A recent addition to the Beavers' team, JOEL KOERNER, was the next Bluffton runner to place in the Championships as he placed 118th in 32:36.1. Not far behind were Bluffton's MIKE KOCH (Liberty Center/Liberty Center), PATRICK COOLEY (Ludlow Falls/Milton Union) and PETE HUSTED (Carrollton/Carrollton) who ran solid races for the Beavers.

Bluffton will now prepare for its last regular season meet of the year at the Wilmington Fall Classic on October 13, before the Beavers travel to the Heartland Conference Championships on October 28, 2006