In its opening meet for the outdoor season, Tiffin University track and field hosted a home meet this Saturday afternoon. In the meet, the Dragons had a strong showing, breaking or tying four school records and provisionally qualifying three athletes to the NCAA Division II national championship meet.
For the men, both Ramone Brant and Keith Reiter made the nationals list. Brant won the 110 hurdles in a time of 14.57, and Reiter cleared 4.84m (15-10.75) in the pole vault for a victory in the event. Travis LeFlore also had a big day for TU by breaking the high jump record with a leap of 2.00m (6-6.75). Other individual champions for Tiffin in the field events include Ray Robinson in the discus throw (43.11m), Nolan Hill in the hammer throw (46.15m), and John Pemberton in the shot put (14.69m).
In the running events, TU swept the sprints with Alex Boyd capturing the 100m in 11.07, while teammate Zach Ball was victorious in the 200m (22.32). Justin Ware also won the 400m, crossing the line in 50.4, and Michael Ballistrea finished first in the 400 hurdles (55.42). Thomas Buxton provided the other event championships for the men by winning both the 800m and the 1500m (1:58.64 and 4:11.64, respectively).
Both relay teams had solid performances as well. The 4x100 team of Deven Keene, Joe Candito, Ball, and Boyd won the race in an impressive 42.3, while Ballistrea, Marcus Johnson, Buxton, and Ware pulled the 4x400 relay to a win in 3:25.47
On the ladies’ side, All-American Kristen Ameling carried her momentum from indoor to open the season with a national qualifying performance and a tie for her own school record. Ameling clutched first placed in the shot put with a toss of 13.50m. Kathy Kernen also had a great day in the throws, capturing both the discus throw (37.25m) and the hammer throw (40.84m). Other school records for the Dragons came in the jumping events with Megan Gill breaking the high jump mark with a hop of 1.62m (5-3.75). In the pole vault, Jennifer Mitsoff finished first and tied her own record with a vault of 3.05m.
Other event victories for the women went to Andrea Bader in the 200m (24.94), Rebecca Miller in the 800 (2:25.93), Jessica Clark in the 3000m (11:34.10), and Porshia Hutcherson in the 400 hurdles (1:15.92). Miller and Hutcherson then teamed up with Brittaney Rupert and Maria Shaw to win the 4x400 relay, crossing the line in 4:16.51.
Next weekend Tiffin Track and Field will travel to Cedarville University to try to improve upon their outdoor marks for the season.