Walker Claims Newcomer Of The Year Honors At NCAC Championships

Gambier, Ohio – The Wittenberg University track and field team took on the NCAC Championships hosted by Kenyon College this weekend. The Tigers earned five individual titles over the weekend, all coming from the women's squad. The women's team captured a third-place team finish with 124 points, this is their highest finish at the NCAC Outdoor Championships since 1998 and the most points earned since 1997. Alexis Walker took the top spot in the 100m dash in the with a time of 12.57, earning the NCAC Newcomer of the Year and the Sprinter/Hurdler of the Year honors for the outdoor season. Sophomore Alexis Johnson opened up the weekend by taking the top spot in the triple jump competition after completing a jump of 11.23m. Ryelee Clary would step atop the podium in the 100m hurdles, crossing the line in a time of 15.22. Alexis Gray took her second straight NCAC 800m title, stopping the clock in a time of 2:16.35. Marteana Newton earned the top spot in the 400m dash, stopping the clock in a time of 59.13. The Wittenberg women's 4x400m relay team of Maxine Wishman, Barnhisel, Gabriella Smith and Walker took the top spot with a time of 4:04.74.

The Tiger 4x100m relay team of Clary, Walker, Preslee Rolf and Stevie Plikerd took second place with a time of 50.07. Taylor Barnhisel took second-place in the 400m hurdles with a time of 1:05.07. Three Tigers went qualified for the 200m finals, as Walker earned a second-place finish with a time of 25.85.  Clary followed up in the 200m dash with a time of 27.03 for a sixth-place finish, while Marteana Newton earned an eighth-place finish with a time of 30.81. As Newton took the top spot in the 400m dash, two Tigers would finish back-to-back, as Wishman (4th) crossed the line in a time of 1:01.96 and Smith (5th) came in at 1:02.36. Following up Johnson in the top spot in the triple jump, freshman Plikerd took the fourth spot, completing a leap of 10.50m. Johnson added a third-place finish in the long jump competition with a leap of 5.35m. Hannah Eley completed a toss of 45.15m in the hammer throw competition, earning a third-place finish. Kathryn Combs earned an eighth-place finish in the discus competition with a toss of 33.66m.

The Wittenberg men's team earned an eighth-place finish after the two-day competition with 42 total points. The 4x100m relay team of Tyler Branton, Matt Entsminger, Kyle Farnbauch and Brandon Johnson took fourth-place with a time of 43.19. Farnbauch took sixth-place in the 110m hurdle finals, crossing the line with a time of 16.11. David Haake earned a fourth-place finish in the 400m hurdles with a time of 56.29. The Tiger 4x400m relay team of Austyn Albanese, Josh Finkelday, Maurice Graham and Haake completed the race with a time of 3:24.84. D'Anthony Dorsey completed a throw of 51.69m in the hammer throw competition, breaking the Wittenberg record and earning a second-place finish. Grant Shepardson earned a fourth-place finish in the long jump with a leap of 6.56m. Jaycee Perry and Paul Varnadoe each earned a sixth-place finish in the high jump competition, clearing a height of 1.81m. Curtis Quimby took eighth place in the discus competition after completing a toss of 40.22m on day one of competition.