Wittenberg Track & Field Hosts Inaugural Tiger Opener

Springfield, OH – It was another historic night on the campus of Wittenberg University, as the Tiger Track and Field team hosted their inaugural indoor meet from the newly introduced Steemer facility. Hosting the meet inside The Steemer, allowed the Tigers to facilitate nine different schools competing in 23 running events and 12 field events. The men's team took three first-place finishes on the night. The Tiger women's team started the season by breaking three school records while claiming four-first place finishes along the way. 

Wittenberg secured their first win of the evening, as the Tigers finished one-two in the women's long jump competition. Alexis Johnson took the top spot, claiming a new Wittenberg school record with a jump of 5.68m. Stevie Plikerd followed up with a leap of 5.59m. Johnson and Plikerd were back to claim the top two spots in the triple jump contest, as Johnson set another school record on her way to her second first-place finish of the night with a jump of 11.35m. Plikerd claimed the second spot in the triple jump competition by clearing a distance of 10.62m. Alexis Gray set a new Wittenberg record in the 500m dash, crossing the line in a time of 1:16.18. Plikerd would go on to add a fifth-place finish in the 200m dash, crossing the line with a time of 27.60. Rylee Clary secured a spot in the final heat of the 60m hurdles with a preliminary time of 9.49. Clary was joined by fellow Tiger Tiffany Moss in the finals, as Moss posted a time of 9.71. Moss claimed a second-place finish in her first collegiate indoor meet with a final time of 9.53. Clary stopped the clock with a time of 9.71, earning a fourth-place finish to start the season. Reigning NCAC Newcomer of the Year Alexis Walker returned to the track, claiming a third-place finish in the 200m dash in a time of 26.49 and a fourth-place finish in the 60m dash with a time of 8.02. Marteana Newton claimed the top spot in the 400m dash for the Tigers with a time of 1:00.37. Newton was followed closely behind by Gabriella Smith, earning a fourth-place finish in a time of 1:02.52. Lauren Welker claimed the top spot in the 800m run for the Tigers, crossing the line in a time of 2:27.64. Madison Nadler added a fifth-place finish for the Red and White in the 800m, stopping the clock at 2:45.36. Moss and Gabriella Smith posted back-to-back finishing times in the 200m dash for the Red and White, as Moss came in at 27.783 and Smith stopping the clock at 27.790. Emma Scritchfield took fourth place in the 3000m run with a time of 12:00.60.

Hannah Eley was the top Tiger finisher in the weight throw competition, earning a fifth-place finish with a toss of 12.67m. Skylar Edwards earned a third-place finish in the shot put competition with a heave of 11.38m, along with an eighth-place finish for the Red and White in the weight throw with a toss of 12.23m. Preslee Rolf took fourth-place in the pole vault competition, clearing a height of 2.75m. Leah Vogt earned a fifth-place finish for the Red and White in the shot put contest with a toss of 11.13m.

Zach Guyer took the top spot in the 60m hurdles, finishing with a time of 8.89. Garrin Bachinski followed up with a third-place finish, crossing the line at 9.14. Wittenberg claimed six of the top eight spots in the 400m dash, finishing one-two with Zeke Bennett crossing the line at 50.30 and Austin Fickeisen right on his heels at 51.34. Austyn Albanese and David Haake crossed the line in third and fourth position, stopping the clock at 51.71 and 52.11. Aaron Rutherford was the final Tiger in the top eight, stopping the clock at 54.06. Caden Zellner secured the top spot for the Red and White in the 500m dash with a time of 1:10.26. Deven Ramsey set the winning pace in the 800m run with a winning time of 1:58.32. Ian McCandlish was close behind, earning a third-place finish in a time of 2:00.64. Brandon Johnson earned a fourth-place finish in the 200m dash for the Tigers, stopping the clock in a time of 23.30. Maurice Graham rounded out the Tiger finishers with a time of 23.57. Ryan Zimmerman secured a second-place finish with a time of 9:10.67 in the 3000m. The Tiger 4x400m relay team of Bennett, Albanese, Ramsey, and McCandlish secured a second-place finish with a time of 3:22.87.

Paul Varnadoe took fourth place in the long jump competition, getting out to a distance of 6.61m. Zach Guyer earned a seventh-place finish in the long jump with a distance of 6.20m. 

UP NEXT

Wittenberg will take a break until January and return to competition on Saturday, Jan. 18 from Otterbein University at the annual Snow Globe Invitational from Westerville, OH.