Bataille wins 55-meter national championship

Sophomore sprinter and Felicity, Ohio, native Judy Bataille closed out her stellar season on the indoor track with a national championship in the 55-meter dash. Batialle took to the track at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships with high expectations and came out topping the field, while also topping the record books as well. She crossed the finish line in 7.00, which is the best time in Division III for the entire indoor season. She also set a field house record and topped her own school record.

The championships were held at ONU Sports Center on the campus of Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio March 14-15.        

Batialle is just the second national champion in the history of women’s track and field at Heidelberg, but is the first on the indoor track. Joining her as a fellow ’Berg National Champion is Monica Scott. Scott won the 1985 outdoor high jump championship. Batialle also earned All-American recognition for her efforts, which marks just the fifth All-American in women’s track and field at Heidelberg. The All-American honor combines both indoor and outdoor track.

Heading into the championships, Batialle, the Great Lakes Region Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, stood third in the nation with a time of 7.12. On Thursday, in the preliminaries, she crossed the finish line in 7.11 and had the second fastest qualifying time heading into the final race. To her left in the blocks was Lauren Deas of Cabrini College, who had the fastest qualifying time and also stood first in the nation heading into Thursday. Batialle had a solid start out of the blocks and quickly pulled away from the pack, as Deas took home runner-up honors with a time of 7.10.