Wieferich Smashes Records, Earns Runner of the Year Accolades as Scots Enjoy Successful NCAC Championships

Bryan Albani

Led by 20 points from its distance running machine Katie Wieferich, The College of Wooster’s women’s track team secured a fourth-place finish in the 2007 North Coast Athletic Conference Championships with 75.50 points, slightly edging out fifth-place Earlham College who totaled 75 points. Winning the two-day event was host Ohio Wesleyan, who racked up 237 points, while Allegheny College (228) and Oberlin College (101) rounded out the top-three.

On the men’s side, the Fighting Scots took home fifth-place with 67 points, while Allegheny won the men’s title with a total of  211 points. Ohio Wesleyan (193), Wabash College (110) and Wittenberg (79) landed in second through fourth-places, respectively.

In the women’s 5000 meter run, Wieferich demolished her pervious conference and school record in the event, finishing the race in 16:44.68, which was an entire 55 seconds faster than her previous mark set at last year’s championship. Her time also broke the stadium record and earned her an automatic spot in the NCAA Div. III Championships in Oshkosh, Wis. May 24-26. 

In addition, Wieferich won the 10000 meter run, crossing the line in 39:05.45 nearly 31 seconds quicker than her nearest competitor. With Wieferich’s two victories on the weekend, she was named the 2007 NCAC Women’s Middle Distance/Distance Runner of the Year for the second consecutive year, and earned all-NCAC accolades in both events, as the top-three finishers in each event earn a spot on the all-conference teams.

In addition to Wieferich, several other Scots had impressive showings, with Ali Drushal placing third in the javelin throw (35.67 meters) and the pole vault (2.89 meters) to earn all-NCAC honors in both events, while also taking sixth in the 400 meters hurdles with a time of 1:08.94.

Kayla Miller continued her successes in the jumping events, earning all-conference accolades in both the triple jump (11.00 meters) and long jump (5.03 meters), finishing second and third, respectively, while also landing sixth in the high jump (1.57 meters).

Katie Dale scored in a pair of events, taking fifth in the hammer throw with a heave of 31.69 meters and placing seventh in the shot put, recording a distance of 10.62 meters. Also a multi-event scorer was Kelly Aughenbaugh, who finished seventh in the long jump (4.85 meters) and eighth in the triple jump (9.68 meters), while Vickie Peterman earned a sixth-place showing in the discus throw (32.43 meters).

For the men, Bryan Albani earned all-NCAC distinction in both hurdles events, winning the 110 meter hurdles with a time of 15.15 seconds and taking third in the 400 meter hurdles, crossing the line in 56.50.

Also an all-conference performer was Eric Dyer, who took second in the triple jump with an attempt of 13.61 meters and Averell Gatton who placed third in the high jump, clearing the bar in 1.88 meters.

Tristan Jordan earned a fourth-place showing in the triple jump (13.21 meters) and took fifth in the long jump (6.26 meters), while Steve Zumbrun also scored in two events, finishing fourth in the shot put (14.10 meters) and seventh in the discus (40.54 meters).

In addition, earning top-finishes for Wooster was Dierre Taylor, who was fifth in the 110 meter hurdles (15.76), John Mathis who took fifth in the high jump (1.85 meters) and Tim Presto, who earned seventh-place in the 800 meter run (1:57.53).

The Scots will have one last opportunity to earn a qualifying time for the NCAA Div. III meet, participating in the Allegheny Invitational on May 10.