Ripon College Days

Media Credit: Photo by Sal De Los Angeles He can probably jump over my head. Sophomore Jonathan Murphy flies over the bar. [Click to enlarge]

Early season injuries haven't held back the Ripon track team from making some noise.

Both the men and the women have reeled off two impressive weekends starting by winning the Sherman-Lukoski Red Hawk Open two weeks ago. This was followed by placing fifth (men) and seventh (women) respectively out of 14 teams at the Coldman Invite at UW-SP this past weekend.

Despite a pulled muscle in senior co-captain Ryan Bobholz's leg the men have put forth some impressive performances. At the Red Hawk Open junior Dave Billings won both the 5000 and 1500 meter runs. Also winning events for the Red Hawks were sophomore Cas Moelling in the pole vault, and senior Jacob Banks in the triple jump. Banks also took second in the long jump.

Also scoring big points for Ripon at the Red Hawk were first year Nic Veasley in the high jump, and senior co-captain Nate Reblin in the hammer throw taking seconds. Third place finishers included: first year Jim Hein in the 5000 meter run, first year Bryan Schneider in the 10,000 meter run, sophomore Mike Treder in the Steeplechase, and the 4x100 meter relay team of first year John McGuire, Banks, Moelling, and Veasley.

Leading Ripon at the Coldman meet with his new school record in the 5000 meter run, and taking second was Billings, running in a time of 15:19.88. Also finishing in second place was Banks in the high jump, and Hein in the Steeple Chase, while Treder took third in the 10,000 meter run.

The women have also been hit by the injury bug. Sophomore All-Conference thrower Erin Courtney sustained a season ending ankle injury, and first year athlete Heidi Heberlein pulled a muscle in between meets, but the women still performed well.

Winning at the Red Hawk Open for the women and picking up where Courtney left-off was first year athlete Jenny Marcell, breaking the school record in the hammer throw with a distance of 130'11'', Heberlein winning the 400 meter dash, junior Jen Millen in the 400 meter hurdles, first year Sarah Steffen in the 10,000 meter run, first year Steph Sommer in the high jump, and the 4x400 meter relay team of sophomore Jolene Rueden, sophomore Sarah Alwin, Millen, and Heberlein.

At the Coldman invite this past weekend Sommer, who won the high jump, and Millen took third in the 400 meter hurdles. Also placing seventh at the meet but setting a new school record in the 300 meter Steeple Chase was Alwin in a time of 12:56.82.

Coach Robert Duley commented on the two teams' ability to overcome the injuries to some of the veteran members and still be successful.

The teams will be in action this weekend at Elmhurst College April 16 and then back in Ripon the following weekend.

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