Track Sending 18 to National Championship
A total of 18 student-athletes from The University of Findlay track program will be attending the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship on May 21-23 in Allendale, Mich.
The total number of student-athletes is a new record for the Oilers track program. Overall, the men had 11 individuals qualify with one alternate while the women saw six qualify for the championship event.
On the men's side, seniors Justin Welch and Taylor Miller will enter the event as the favorite in the hammer throw and shot put, respectively.
Welch, the 2015 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Field Athlete of the Year, is the top-seed in the hammer throw with a mark of 69.94 meters. He is also seeded second in the discus at 56.39 meters.
The Luckey, Ohio native has won three national championships during his career with the Oilers. He won the 2014 and 2015 indoor national championship in the weight throw. He also scored a national title last year during the outdoor season in the hammer throw. He will be looking to repeat this year.
Miller meanwhile is the top seed in the shot put with a mark of 18.76 meters. He is also seeded 15th in the hammer throw at 59.99 meters.
Senior Mathieu Marcoccia is also a threat to challenge Miller in the shot put as he will enter the event ranked third with a mark of 18.48 meters. He is coming off of a GLIAC Championship in the event.
Sophomore Ben Hahler will be the third Oilers thrower to compete in the shot put as he enters the event seeded ninth with a throw of 17.64 meters.
Freshman Michael Bruce qualified in both the long jump and triple jump. He is seeded tenth in the long jump at 7.56 meters and 15th in the triple at 15.08 meters.
Senior Demorrio Leggett will also compete for Findlay in the triple jump and seeded 14th with a mark of 15.10 meters while sophomore Alexander Zolotoglavyy is seeded 16th in the long jump at 7.44 meters.
Senior Dillon Webster qualified in two events for the Oilers and will be running in the 800-meter as well as the 4x400-meter relay. He is seeded 12th in the 800 at 1:50.66 and is seeded 11th in the 4x400 at 3:11.33. Webster will team with sophomores Maliik Briggs, Derek Collins and Sergi Torres in the event. Senior Jake Miller will serve as the alternate for the relay team.
On the women's side, senior Kendra Averesch will compete in two events for the Oilers. She is seeded fourth in the shot put at 15.81 meters and 21st in the hammer throw at 55.49.
Junior Lydia Guagenti is seeded fourth in the high jump at 1.77 meters while sophomore Erica King qualified in the hammer throw and is seeded 13th at 56.58 meters.
Senior Pam Showman will enter the championship seeded tenth in the heptathlon with 5,049 points while junior Maud Sanmiquel is seeded 13th in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.82.
Junior Samantha Grippe also qualified for the championship and is seeded 16th in the 800-meter run at 2:09.53.