Oilers Earn 2 Conference Titles on 1st Day of G-MAC Championship
The University of Findlay men's and women's track and field teams had a stellar showing on the first day of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Indoor Track and Field Championships in Hillsdale, Mich. on February 23.
Men
Junior Austin Combs earned first place in the men's weight throw, hitting an automatic qualifying mark on 21.04m (70-02.50). The throw was good enough for a new meet record and earned him the conference title. Freshman Dequan Lovell placed third with a provisional qualifying distance of 17.87m (58-07.50), and sophomore Javian Martin took fifth in the event throwing for 16.83m (55-02.75).
The Oilers took two of the top three spot in the men's long jump. Senior Trey Everett set a new meet record and hit a provisional qualifying mark of 7.22m (23-08.25) to earn the conference titles and tie his own G-MAC record. Freshman Martin Etsey took fifth place in the event, jumping for 16.83m (55-02.75).
In the men's pole vault, freshman Jacob Montag and senior Trey Everett both vaulted for 4.27m (14-00.00) and took fourth and fifth place respectively.
Junior George Effah qualified for the finals by taking first in of the men's 200 meter dash prelims, setting a new meet record by running a 22.275. Sophomore Lenell Shelby III also qualified for the finals with a time of 22.278.
Effah also set a meet record in the 400 meter dash prelims, taking him to the finals by hitting a provisional qualifying time of 49.12.
Findlay had three athletes qualify for the 60 meter dash finals tomorrow. Junior Jaye Williams ran a 7.01, Shelby ran a 7.02, and Freshman Jacob Hill ran a 7.05 in the event to earn third, sixth, and seventh respectively.
In the men's 60 meter hurdles prelims, Shelby ran an 8.32 to earn third and Everett ran a 8.33 to earn fourth and qualify for the finals tomorrow.
In the first day of the men's heptathlon section of the meet, freshman Gavin Stepansky ran a 7.38 in the men's 60 meter dash taking third place. Stepansky earned sixth place in the men's high jump, jumping for 1.55m (5-01.00), and he threw for 8.62m (28-03.50) in the men's shot put.
Women
The Oilers took two of the top five spots in the women's weight throw. Senior Alex DeVincentis earned a third place finish with a provisional qualifying throw of 16.84m (55-03.00). Holly Averesch took fifth in the event throwing for 16.51m (54-02.00).
Sophomore Jenna Shipman took fourth in the long jump, jumping for 5.36m (17-07.00).
Sophomore Semoy Hemmings earned first place in the women's 400 meter dash prelims with a time of 58.68. Shipman took seventh in the prelims running a 1:00.60. Both athletes qualified for the finals in the event tomorrow.
In the women's 200 meter dash prelims, Hemmings ran a 25.91 to take third place and move on to the finals.
Senior Milani Glass earned second place in the women's 60 meter hurdles prelims with a provisional qualifying time of 8.73.