Judy Bataille repeats as national champion
In two trips to the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships the results were the same for Judy Bataille of Heidelberg University - a national championship in the 55-meter dash.
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind. is the host institution of nationals March 13-14.
Bataille, a Felicity, Ohio native, entered the finals with a top qualifying time of 7.09 and went on to dominate the field with a time of 7.02 to successfully defend her 2008 championship. Her time of 7.02 is a season best for Division III and is also a Sports and Recreation Facility record at Rose-Hulman. Along with her title she earned All-American recognition.
Bataille’s championship joins her title from 2008 and is Heidelberg’s lone indoor national titles. But overall the women have now won six national championships between indoor and outdoor track. Bataille stands second on the list with two titles behind three-time outdoor high jump national champion Monica Scott.
Her trip to the All-American podium marks the second ’Berg athlete to do so this year. Bataille joins freshman high jumper Tomika Brown (Bellefontaine, Ohio / Bellefontaine) as All-Americans for first-year head coach Keith Roberts Jr.
The Ohio Athletic Conference was represented well in the 55-meter dash, as Wilmington College’s Callen Martin backed Bataille with a runner-up finish in 7.10.