Local Athletes Shining in NCAA Indoor Track & Field

Volume 4 Issue 3

Just around a month away from conference championships, Northwest Ohioans are making a name for themselves at the NCAA level. These men and women are some of the best in their conference, the country and all time from our area.

Mid-American Conference

Toledo Central Catholic product Solomon King has donned a new jersey this year. The OHSAA Div. 2 record holder in the 100m is running for the Eagles of Eastern Michigan after a year at DII Davenport. King is 7th in the MAC in the 60m. Also making waves in the MAC, Huron legend Jimmy Harkelroad is on the fastest 4x400m relay, is 3rd in the 200m and 2nd in the 400m this season with Akron. Brother, and another Huron legend, Beau Harkelroad is at Kent State and is 8th in the MAC as a freshman in the 60m hurdles.

Grad student and former DIII All-American Keegan Digby (Otsego) is the top shot putter in the MAC this season for Akron, he is also 4th in the weight throw. On the women’s side, Trista Fintel (Patrick Henry) was a National Champion at the University of Findlay and is now the top shot putter in the MAC for Bowling Green State. In the women’s weight throw the top 3 in the MAC are all from Northwest Ohio: (1) Brook Boes of Akron (Tiffin Columbian), (2) Trista Fintel, (3) Ella Rigel of Miami OH (Leipsic).

Also standing out in the MAC, Owen Miller (Oak Harbor) is 7th in the MAC in the 400m for Kent State, Jacob Niedzwiecki (Whitmer) is 6th in the MAC in the pole vault for Eastern Michigan and Mhalicki Bronson (Defiance) is 3rd in the MAC in the 3000m run for Miami OH.

Elsewhere Around Division I

Graduate student Addison Painter (Vermilion) is showing his prowess in the long jump at Marshall. Painter spent the previous four years at DIII Marietta. This season, Painter became one of just ten Northwest Ohioans to ever jump over 25 feet in the long jump. He currently ranks 2nd in the Sun Belt Conference.

Three-time state champion Maira Scott (Holland Springfield) is 11th in the 200m in the Big Ten for USC and is a part of the 4th fastest 4x400m relay in the conference.

Genoa graduate Noah Koch is competing for Louisville in the throws. He is currently 5th in the Atlantic Coast Conference in the shot put and 4th in the weight throw.

Matthew Gladieux (Archbold) is second in both the shot put and weight throw in the the Ohio Valley Conference for Eastern Illinois.

OHSAA Div. II record holder in the 800m Alexa Fortman is 3rd in the Missouri Valley Conference in that event for Belmont. She holds the Belmont school record in the 800m and 600m.

Last year’s OHSAA Div. III champion in the mile Riley Nixon (Ottawa Hills) is 5th in the Horizon League in the mile for IU-Indianapolis. Otsego graduate Dakota Keifer is 3rd in the Horizon League in the pole vault for Youngstown State. Also at Youngstown State is last year’s OHSAA Div. I champion in the shot put Dominic Brown (Fremont Ross), who is 6th in the Horizon League in the shot put. On the women’s side for Youngstown State is Olivia Mason (Perkins) who is 2nd in the conference in the shot put.

Division II

Molly Winner (Marion Local) is the number 1 weight thrower in the nation and is 8th in the nation in the shot put for Ashland University. Her weight throw of 65’09 is the 5th best in Northwest Ohio history and her shot put of 49’06.5 is the 17th best in Northwest Ohio history. Also at Ashland, Caden Morris (Marion Harding) is 5th in the nation in the long jump. His jump of 24’09.25 makes him the 13th best in Northwest Ohio history.

Leah Smith (Tiffin Calvert) is 11th in the country in the 60m dash for the Unviersity of Findlay. Her time of 7.45 makes her the 2nd fastest ever in Northwest Ohio history. Smith, along with Mary Ellis (Toledo Central Catholic), are a part of the 2nd fastest 4x400m relay in the country. Also at Findlay, Nate Buschur (Marion Local) is 11th in the country in the pole vault. His vault of 16’07.25 is the 19th best in Northwest Ohio history.

Eyan Wilson (Toledo St. John’s) is 11th in the country in the shot put for the University of Findlay. His throw of 56’09.5 makes him the 19th best in Northwest Ohio history. Ranked 14th in the nation is Kevin Hornbeak (Whitmer) for Tiffin University. His throw of 56’04 is 21st best Northwest Ohio history.

D3 Glory Days

Claire Schweller (Paulding) is 6th in the nation in the pole vault for Ohio Northern University. 11th in the country for the weight throw is Ohio Northern teammate Izzy Burman (Liberty-Benton).