'Berg Sending Program-Best Six to Marietta

The Heidelberg University women’s track and field team will be represented by six athletes, in three events, at the upcoming NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio May 21-23.
 
A total of six runners, including three newcomers, will don the colors of Heidelberg in Marietta. Inking their names on the national list is junior Judy Bataille (Felicity, Ohio / Felicity-Franklin) in the 100-meter dash, freshman Tomika Brown (Bellefontaine, Ohio / Bellefontaine) in the high jump and the 4x400-meter relay team consisting of senior starter Angela Zellner (Twinsburg, Ohio / Twinsburg) followed by junior Jamie Depinet (New Riegel, Ohio / New Reigel) and rounded out by freshmen Shanice McLellan (Lima, Ohio / Lima Senior) and Jazmine Shaw (Columbus, Ohio / Hamilton Township).
 
Led by first-year head coach Keith Roberts Jr., Heidelberg has qualified in its most events in the history of the program and will be making an appearance at the national championships for the first time since 2006. Heidelberg will be in search of its first outdoor All-American since Kelli Butzin in 1991. Overall, Heidelberg has had four outdoor All-Americans, led by three-time honoree Monica Scott (1984, 1985, 1986). Scott overtook the podium in 1985 to win the high jump national championship, which is the only outdoor national title for Heidelberg.
 
Bataille will look to add to her impressive indoor resume where she is a two-time national champion in the 55-meter dash. Entering the championships, Bataille has clocked a school record 12.00 to stand fourth in the 100-meter dash field. She is the first Heidelberg sprinter to qualify in the event. Bataille is in her second year with the Heidelberg track and field team, but 2009 marks her first campaign on the outdoor track. Her trial run is slated for Friday at 4:25 p.m.
 
In just her first year Brown has made an immediate impact among the nation’s top high jumpers. Her outdoor season has been built off her trip to the All-American podium during her indoor campaign. Brown will give the Berg four competitors that have combined to participate in the high jump on six occasions. Brown qualified for nationals after clearing 5’5.75”, which stands tied for 10th in the field. She will look for another All-American honor on Saturday, May 23 beginning at 2:30 p.m.
 
Making its first trip to nationals is the 4x400-meter relay team. Not only is the relay making its first appearance in the race, but they are the first Heidelberg relay to ever qualify for nationals, both on the indoor and outdoor tracks. The quartet ran a qualifying time of 3:52.92 at the Gator Invitational hosted by Allegheny College May 8. Depinet, McLellan, Shaw and Zellner begin their quest for All-American honors with its trial run at 7:25 p.m. on Thursday.