Showman and Welch Highlight Final Day of GLIAC Championship
Hillsdale, MI – The University of Findlay track and field teams competed on the third day of competition at the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) championship meet on Friday, May 1. The women placed fifth place, scoring 94 points and the men also placed fifth with a score of 73 points.
Women
In the high jump, Lydia Guagenti finished on the podium as she took third place with a jump that measured 5'07", a provisional qualifying height.
Kendra Averesch and Liz Streacker both placed well in the discus throw as Averesch took third place with a provisional throw of 151'03" while Streacker got fifth with provisional throw 148'09".
In the 4x400 meter run, Maud Sanmiquel, Laura Hernandez, Pam Showman, and Shelby Stump teamed up to place third with their time of 3:49.42.
Sanmiquel also participated in the 400 meter hurdles and got third place with a provisional time of 1:01.91. She was not done there however as she also participated in the 100 meter hurdles and her time of 14.24 was good enough for fourth place. Also in that race was Showman whose time of 14.52 was good enough for eighth place.
Stump participated in the 400 meter dash and took sixth place with a time of 58.46.
Also finishing sixth place was Samantha Grippe who did so in the 800 meter run. Her time was 2:14.39.
Men
The Oilers received an outstanding performance from Mathieu Marcoccia. He participated in the shot put and brought home the championship and earned an automatic bid to the national championship with his throw of 60'07.75". Taylor Miller earned a provisional in that event with his throw of 57'02.25", good enough for fourth place. Justin Welch (10th, 51'05.75") and Ben Hahler (51'04.25") also participated in the event.
Welch's best event of the day was the discus throw where he won another GLIAC championship, his second of the meet, with an automatic qualifying throw of 185'00". Hahler met the provisional mark in the event with his throw of 162'10", earning him seventh, while Miller took 11th with a throw of 155'06".
In the 400 meter dash, Sergi Torres was able to make the podium as he sprinted to a time of 47.77. That time earned him second place and a provisional mark in the event. Maliik Briggs was also in the event and took 7th place with a time of 48.97.
Dillon Webster participated in the 800 meter run and ended up placing third with a time of 1:50.06, a provisional time.
Webster, Briggs, Derek Collins, and Torres teamed up in the 4x400 meter dash and earned a provisional with a time of 3:12.97, good enough for fourth place.
In the Triple Jump, Michael Bruce and Alexander Zolotoglavyy participated for the Oilers. Bruce took second place with a provisional distance of 48'06.75" while Zolotoglavyy took fifth with a distance of 47'03.75".
AWARDS
Justin Welch added to his impressive trophy case as he was name GLIAC Field Athlete of the Meet and GLIAC Field Athlete of the Year. At this meet, Welch won two championships; hammer throw and discus.
Pam Showman collected some hardware as she was able to earn GLIAC Field Athlete of the Meet with her victory in the pentathlon being her highlight.
The next event for the Oilers is the Aquinas Twilight Meet in Grand Rapids, MI which will take place on May 6.