Tigers Place Second In NCAC Outdoor Championships

May 10, 2001 - Wittenberg's men's and women's track & field teams both did well in the North Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 4-5 at Ohio Wesleyan. The men finished second with 124.5 points, 35 points behind the champion and host Battling Bishops. The women's team, second after Day 1 thanks to several fine performances in the field events, was fifth with 90 points.

Freshman Geri Woessner (Dayton, Ohio/Oakwood) continued what has been a remarkable first school year for the Tigers with yet another conference honors. Woessner was named the NCAC Women's Field Events Performer of the Year. Woessner won the heptathlon - and was a provisional qualifier for the NCAA Division III outdoor championships - and the shot put and finished seventh in the discus. In addition, Woessner had a big kick in the back straightaway to take fourth place in the 400-meter dash, and she was a member of the Tigers 1600-meter relay team, which came in fifth.

For the record, Woessner was named the Women's Soccer NCAC Newcomer of the Year after tying a school record with 18 goals in a season, lettered as a post player for the 18-8 women's basketball team in the winter (earning Tournament MVP honors at the Greensboro Tip-Off Classic along the way) - and we're guessing she will probably cure the financial crisis in Ohio's schools as a summer breather. That is, if she's not too busy competing in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 24-26. She will compete in at least one more heptathlon in the next two weeks in an effort to solidify her position in the national rankings.

While Woessner was scoring big points for the women's team, the men's team used balance to score its strong finish. Two athletes who didn't win an individual event or advance to the NCAA meet deserve special recognition: junior Brian Gehle (Huntsville, Ohio/Indian Lake), who was second in the decathlon in his first try at the event, second in the high jump with a personal-best 6 feet, 6 inches and ran a terrific third leg of the 4x400 meter relay that allowed freshman Demetrius Ellison (Cleveland, Ohio/Trinity) the opportunity to blow past the competition on the last leg for the win. Ellison also finished second in the 400 by .01.

Five Tiger athletes qualified provisionally for the NCAA Division III championships with their performances in the conference meet. Freshman Tim Gaal (Amanda, Ohio/Clearcreek) was first with his third school record in four weeks in the javelin at 193 feet, eight inches, while classmate Mike Klotz (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) was second at 191-10.

For the women, sophomore Abi Gerstle (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) was second in the 1500 meter run at 4:42.63, while freshman Andi Warner (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) was second in the javelin at 129-11. Both will continue to go for the automatic qualifying figures in the next two weeks, where they will be joined by junior Sarah Weide (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Homestead), who is just .08 away from a provisional qualifying time in the 800 meters.

They will all be trying to join senior Josh Guerreri (Avon, Ohio/Avon), who was an automatic qualifier in the decathlon a week earlier. He set the school and NCAC record in the event in the process of advancing to the next round.

Next: @ Baldwin-Wallace Twilight Invitational (May 18
NCAA Division III Championship Meet (May 24-26)