Initial DII Polls Place Oilers Men and Women in Top 25
Findlay, OH – The University of Findlay men's and women's track teams both find themselves in the top 25 in the initial set of national rankings in the U.S. Track and Field Coaches Association poll.
Men
The men, who finished as the national runner-up in last year's indoor and outdoor seasons, find themselves ranked #17 in DII to begin the 2016 campaign. They are one of five teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) to be in the top 25. That is the most of any conference in the country.
Junior Alexander Zolotoglavyy has the seventh best distance in DII in the long jump. He jumped 23'11" at the Northwest Ohio Invitational on Jan. 15. Also in that event, sophomore Michael Bruce has the eighth best distance in the nation this year with his jump of 23'10.75", also at the Northwest Ohio Invitational.
Bruce's better event this year has been the triple jump where he owns the fourth best distance in the country with his jump of 49'3.75" which he set at the Tiffin Dragon Open on Jan. 23.
Rounding out top-10 performances is junior Ben Hahler who, in the shot put, has the DII's eighth best throw this season. At the Northwest Ohio Invitational, his throw measured 56'6.5".
Women
The Oilers women, who sent four athletes to the national championship meet last indoor season, debut the 2016 campaign as the #12 team in the country. They are one of four teams from the GLIAC in the top 25, the second most of any conference in the country.
They are led by senior Lydia Guagenti who, in the high jump, owns the second highest jump in DII this season. She cleared a height of 5'7.75" at the Northwest Ohio Invitational. Guagenti also has the 11th best score this year in the pentathlon. Her score of 3443 came during the Oiler Opener on Dec. 4.
In shot put, sophomore Alex DeVincentis owns the third best throw in the country, a distance of 49'11.75". This toss came during the Kent St. Golden Flash Gala on Dec. 11.
Junior Erica King is the final Oiler to have a top 10 as her weight throw distance of 60'3.25" is the sixth best in the country. That throw was during the Northwest Ohio Invitational.
The Oilers will host the Findlay Indoor Classic this Friday and Saturday, Jan 29-30, in the Malcolm Athletic Center on the campus of The University of Findlay.