TIFFIN, Ohio—The Heidelberg University men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams are set to begin the 2011-12 season under second-year head coach Bri Hess on Saturday, Dec. 2 when they compete at the Oiler Open hosted by Findlay University in the Malcolm Athletic Center in Findlay, Ohio.
Hess returns a talented squad and will welcome the addition of several key freshmen who have the potential to help the Berg stand out during the indoor and outdoor seasons.
Leading the returnees for the men’s team is junior Joe Yoder (West Liberty/West Liberty-Salem), who posted second-place showings in both the high jump and 500-meter run and was fifth in the 55-meter hurdles at the OAC championships last February. The freshmen sprint duo of Austin Bentz (Tiffin/Columbian) and Brandon Sadler (Lorain/Clearview) are expected to have a significant impact as well.
Junior Marian Bevington (Celina/Parkway), a two-time All-OAC volleyball player, leads the returning performers for the women. Bevington was the conference’s long jump champion and a two-time runner up in the triple jump and 55-meter hurdles. Freshmen Rachel Brushaber (Harbor Springs, Mich./Harbor Springs) and Julia Darling (Amsterdam/Carrollton) will add depth in distance events, while Kristen Toth (Strongsville) and Caddie Orr (East Liberty/Benjamin Logan) are expected to stand out in sprint, jump and hurdles events.
The Berg is looking for a season in which it can improve upon last year’s ninth-place finish at the Ohio Athletic Conference championships by the men and seventh-place finish by the women.
Following Saturday’s Oiler Open, Heidelberg will enjoy a six-week layoff before next competing at the Northwest Ohio Invitational, also hosted by Findlay, on Jan. 20. The 2011-12 slate features two meets in January, followed by an intense February, in which both teams will compete in five meets over four weekends, including the 2012 OAC Indoor Track & Field Championships, hosted by Capital University on Feb. 24-25.