Both Scot Track Teams Finish Among Top Half of NCAC Relays

Ali Drushal

The College of Wooster track & field teams both finished among the top half of their respective fields at Saturday’s annual North Coast Athletic Conference Relays, as the men placed fifth (of 10) and the women fourth (of nine). The meet was hosted by Denison University once again.

The Fighting Scots’ men’s squad scored 53.5 points, less than 25 off the pace of team champion Wabash College (78). They were led by senior thrower Rick Drushal and junior jumper Tristan Jordan, each of whom earned runner-up honors. Drushal tossed the shot put 46 feet, 3 inches, while Jordan recorded a mark of 42 feet, 3.25 inches in the triple jump. Jordan also added a third-place effort in the long jump (20 feet, 2 inches).

Another top performance was sophomore hurdler Dierre Taylor’s third-place showing in the 55 hurdles (8.23), while Averell Gatton was top-eight in two events, tying for fifth in the high jump (5 feet, 8 inches) and taking seventh in the long jump (19 feet).

Other individual noteworthy efforts (top-eight) came from Matt Jensen and Eric Dyer, who were sixth in the 55 hurdles (8.35) and eighth in the long jump (18 feet, 3 inches), respectively, while Wooster’s top relay consisted of Bryan Albani, John Officer, Sateesh Venkatesh, and Ashton Segree taking fourth in the 4x200 (1:37.69).

On the women’s side, sophomore Ali Drushal produced the Scots’ lone individual win from the NCAC Relays, clearing 9 feet, 6 inches in the pole vault, and teammate Sarah Wiswell led Wooster to a team victory in that event by tying for fourth-place (8 feet).

Drushal also made an impact in the 55 hurdles, finishing eighth (9.76), while KateLynn Riley came in fifth (9.48).

Kayla Miller had a very productive day, scoring in three events, as she tied for fourth in the high jump (4 feet, 10 inches), took sixth in the triple jump (32 feet, 1.5 inches), and placed eighth in the long jump (14 feet, 6.75 inches). Also in the high jump, Natalee Noche tied for sixth (4 feet, 6 inches).

Overall, the Wooster women tallied 53 points, while the Ohio Wesleyan University women won (98).