Scots Combine for Four Individual Wins at Wooster Open

The College of Wooster track and field teams used their home course advantage to produce four individual wins, as well as a plethora of top-three finishes, at the Wooster Open on Friday (April 23). It was not a team-scored event, as competitors from Kenyon College, Mt. Union College, Oberlin College, Otterbein College, and Wooster went up against each other for individual honors.

The Scot women, who totaled three first-place showings, were led by sophomore Jill Berner’s record-breaking performance. In winning the pole vault for a fourth time out of six competitions this spring, Berner broke her own school record in the event, clearing 11 feet, one inch. Fellow field competitor, freshman Dana Doran-Myers, leapt 5 feet, 0.25 inches to earn first-place in the high jump.

On the track, Laura Barnhart crossed the finish line first in the 400 meters (1:02.99), while giving Wooster a 1-2-3 sweep in the event were fellow sophomores Monica Ellis (1:05.13) and Hannah Bierlein (1:06.08).

Other notable performances included second- and third-place finishes for junior Heather Reed in the 100- (16.35) and 400-meter hurdles (1:09.86), respectively, as well as a runner-up via junior Julie Draper in the 3000-meter steeplechase (12:40.85).

In men's action, the Scots’ lone winner was senior Keith Vance in the shot put (49 feet, 3.75 inches), while also in the field, classmate Marc Bryson came in second in the javelin (141 feet, four inches).

Additional second-place performances included junior Nii Djan Tackie, sophomore Mark Ballinger, and freshman Tim Presto in the 100 (11.50), 400 (51.87), and 1500 meters (4:06.57), respectively. Highlighting six third-place finishes for Wooster was senior Nathan Collins, who coming off of an injury, cleared 12 feet, 6 inches, while pole vaulting for the first time this season (indoor or outdoor).