Oilers Open Indoor Season in a Big Way
Findlay, Ohio – The University of Findlay men's and women's track and field teams got their 2017-18 season started on Friday, Dec. 8 at the annual Oiler Opener.
Competing for the first time since having an all-American award stripped in the heptathlon at the 2017 NCAA DII Indoor National Championship, Findlay senior Trey Everett got his final season started with success. Everett's afternoon began in the 60 meter dash where he ran a personal-best 7.32. He followed that performance up with a jump of 7.22m (23-08.25), the best jump in the field and an NCAA provisional, and later had a personal-best throw of 12.57 (41-03.00) in the shot put, also the best in the field. He then finished his day in the high jump where he took second with a leap of 2.07m (6-09.50).
Junior Austin Combs, a two-time all-American in the weight throw, also jumped out to a stellar start to his season. He captured the weight throw crown on Friday night with a throw of 21.27m (69-09.50), setting a new personal-best in the event by more than two feet. His throw is an automatic qualifier for the 2018 NCAA National Championship meet and is also the longest throw in the country this season.
Coming in second place in the weight throw, junior Dequan Lovell had a throw of 19.64m (64-05.25), an NCAA provisional qualifying throw and the fifth-best throw in the country this season. Findlay got an eighth place finish from sophomore Javian Martin who had a throw of 15.70m (51-06), a personal-best.
On the women's side, all-American Alex DeVincentis began the season with a third place finish in the weight throw. Her best throw of the night was a provisional qualifier and distanced 17.05m (55-11.25) while teammate, junior Holly Averesch, took fourth place with a provisional qualifying distance of 16.15m (52-11.75) which set a new personal-best. Junior Sabrina Bailey ended the event in seventh with a throw of 13.96m (45-09.5).
Former Oilers athlete and four-time all-American Erica King took first place in the weight throw with a toss of 18.99m (62-03.75).
The second and final day of competition will begin tomorrow, Dec. 9 at 9:00 am.