Jackets Compete at Hoosier-Buckeye Invitational

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College track and field team competed at the Hoosier-Buckeye Invitational held at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology on Saturday, February 16.

The women’s team had a strong showing, finishing fifth with 74.5 points with a less than eight-point gap from third place. Alex Thiel led the Lady Jackets, placing in four separate events. Thiel cleared a personal-best 8-06.00 to win the pole vault, while also finishing second in the triple jump (31-10.00), fifth in the long jump (14-8.75) and was a member of the 4x200 relay team with Kristin Goldstein, Courtney Lantz and Bria Gendron that finished second with a time of 1:57.53.

Amanda Tooley grabbed two third-place finishes in the weight throw (40-04.75) and the shot put (36-00.25). Gendron was third in the jump, clearing a personal-best 4-09.00 to edge out teammate Julie Kern who finished fourth (4-05.00). Goldstein tied her personal-best in the

Ryan Perry led the men with a victory in the 55m dash, running a personal-best 6.59. Nic Alvarez also set a personal-best in the mile, finishing the race in 4:51.83. Brian Schweiterman finished eighth in the high jump, clearing 5-08.00. The distance medley team of Andrew Baker, Ryan Perry, Seth Bidlack and Nic Alvarez finished fifth with a time of 11:40.60.

The Jackets will travel to Ada, Ohio next Friday, February 22 to participate in the Ohio Northern Friday Night Series Meet.