'Berg Races to Second-Straight Top-Five Finish at OAC Indoor Championships

Led by the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Most Outstanding Women’s Sprint Athlete Judy Bataille’s (Felicity, Ohio / Felicity-Franklin) two individual championships, the Heidelberg College women’s track and field team finished fifth at the 2008 OAC Indoor Championships hosted by Otterbein College March 7-8. Overall Heidelberg, under the guidance of head coach Kevin Lucas, came away with three championships over the two-day event to help lead the Berg to its second-consecutive top-half finish within the league.

Baldwin-Wallace College narrowly upended the defending champion and host Otterbein College by a 137-134 margin to win the team championship. Ohio Northern University racked up 96 points for third, Capital University stood fourth with 82 points followed by Heidelberg with 79 points.

Bataille claimed the 55-meter dash title in a time of 7.12. Her 7.12 time ties her own school record, which is also a NCAA Division III Championship automatic qualifying time and also sets a new OAC mark. Bataille will participate in the national meet March 14-15 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. She picked up her second individual title in the 300-meter dash in a time of 41.39, which also tops her own school record of 41.94. Bataille earned all-conference recognition in both events.

Earning Heidelberg’s third championship and all-league honors was its record setting 4x200-meter relay team of Bataille, Angela Zellner (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg), Colleen Nitchman (Wakeman, Ohio / Western Reserve) and Catie Evers (Burkettsville, Ohio / Saint Henry). The quartet crossed the finish line in 1:45.15, topping its own school record, while setting a new conference record as well.

The 4x400-meter relay team of Zellner, Evers, Jamie Depinet (New Riegel, Ohio / New Riegel) and Jocelyn Hughes (Oberlin, Ohio / Oberlin) took home runner-up honors in a time of 4:07.81 and finished with All-OAC recognition.

Also joining the list with record performances over the two-day event was senior Erica Tenwalde (Ada, Ohio / Lima Shawnee). Tenwalde improved on her mile school record and set a new mark at 5:20.26, good enough for a fifth-place finish.

Rounding out Heidelberg’s list of top-five finishes was Evers with a fourth in the 400-meter dash (1:00.74) and a fifth in the 300-meter dash (42.74), while Depinet took home a fourth in the 300-meter dash (42.67) and a fifth in the 400-meter dash (1:00.81).

On Friday, during preliminaries in the 55-meter dash, freshman Rachel Hill (Shelby, Ohio / Shelby) bettered her school record in the event with a time of 8.90.

The OAC Championships wrapped up Heidelberg’s indoor season aside from Bataille’s appearance at the national meet this coming weekend.