Tigers Push Through Busy Week Of Competetion In Preperation For NCAC Championships

The Wittenberg men's and women's track and field teams are in the midst of the biggest week of the outdoor season, and the momentum gained from the first weekend of competition in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships could serve the team well as they compete at Ohio Wesleyan on Friday and Saturday.

May 5, 2004

Geri Woessner

The Wittenberg men's and women's track and field teams are in the midst of the biggest week of the outdoor season, and the momentum gained from the first weekend of competition in the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships could serve the team well as they compete at Ohio Wesleyan on Friday and Saturday.

Senior Tim Gaal (Amanda, Ohio/Clearcreek) extended Wittenberg's dominance in the decathlon to six straight years. Josh Guerreri won three straight decathlon crowns from 1999-2001, and he holds the school record of 6427 en route to qualifying for the NCAA Division III Championships in 2001. Brian Gehle finished second in 2001 and then captured the top spot in 2002. And Gaal has won the last two titles.

Junior Joe Rumschlag (Maumee, Ohio/Toledo Christian) led after the first day and finished a close second to give the Tigers their third one-two finish in the event in the last four years. In addition, sophomore Chad Kresser (Findlay, Ohio/Findlay) placed fifth to give the Tigers a combined total of 23 team points heading into the meet this weekend.

Gaal was named NCAC Field Events Athlete of the Week for his performance at the decathlon and for winning the javelin at the Otterbein Mid-Week Qualifier on Wednesday. Rumschlag earned NCAC Sprinter/Hurdler of the Week for his decathlon finish, in combination with a second-place finish in the 100 meters at Otterbein. He then ran a personal-best 11.03 in the 100 at the decathlon.

In addition, senior Skip Ivery (Columbus, Ohio/Groveport-Madison) finished second in the 110-meter hurdles at the Jesse Owens Classic, hosted by Ohio State on Friday. The meet was filled with NCAA Division I and II competitors.

In the heptathlon, senior Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) extended her dominance in the event, winning with an NCAC and Wittenberg record 4455 points. She has won the event three times in her four years at Wittenberg, her win streak interrupted last year by a second-place finish just a few months after suffering a major knee injury.

Woessner's point total was good for a provisional qualifying standard for the NCAA Division III Championship meet. She has never competing in the national meet.

Woessner was NCAC Field Events Athlete of the Week for her performance in the heptathlon, for taking first place in the javelin at the Otterbein meet and for reaching a provisional mark in the javelin at the heptathlon. In addition, senior Becky Barnes (Williamsport, Ohio/Westfall) finished first in the 1500 meters at the Otterbein Qualifier, which earned her NCAC Distance Events Athlete of the Week.

Next: 5/7-8 NCAC Championships at Ohio Wesleyan