MARETTA, Ohio – It was an exciting day for Marietta College track & field Saturday (Dec. 10) inside the Dyson-Baudo Recreation Center, as the Pioneers opened their 2005-06 indoor season by hosting an un scored Early-Bird Meet.
Six Marietta indoor school records — five by women and one by men — were either set or matched Saturday afternoon at the meet that included representatives from Wright State, Capital, Charleston (W. Va.), Alderson-Broaddus (W. Va.) and Ohio Wesleyan.
Sophomore Joanna Ferrell (Mineral Wells, W. Va.), who entered the day as the school-record holder in both the 55m and 200m dash, set new career-best in each event. Ferrell ran a school-record 7.84 in the 55m dash prelim and a 7.90 in the finals to place fifth. The previous record was Ferrell\'s 7.97, set on January 22, 2005. She also ran to a sixth-place finish in the 200m dash with a school-record time of 28.94 seconds, breaking her previous mark of 29.12, set on February 4, 2005.
Freshman Jessi Larrison (Batavia) set a new MC standard in the 400m dash with her fifth-place performance. She crossed the line in 1:04.60, breaking Alana Combs record of 1:06.34 which was set in 2004.
Sophomore jumps specialist Marissa Barnhart (Avon) established a school record in the triple jump with her jump of 31.03.00 (9.52m). The performance earned her third place in the event.
Senior Fizzy Ramsey (Danville, Ky.) tied her school-record in the women\'s pole vault, finishing in second place with a mark of 9-06.00 (2.89m).
Senior Eric Finn (Shelby) surpassed his school-record in the weight throw with a toss of 45-11.75 (14.01m). Finn set the previous record on February 4, 2005, with a throw of 45-11.25 (14.00m).
Another highlight of the meet was freshman Jered Mitchem\'s (Marietta) first-place finish in the mile. He finished the race in 4:48.45.
In addition, sophomore Harrison Potter (Rochester, N. Y.) won the 3000m run with a time of 9:21.37, while senior Clark Spears (Brunswick) placed second with a time of 9:33.37.
Freshman Seth Gordon (Rome, N. Y.) placed second in the 55m dash (6.87), while freshman Seth Townsend (Belleville, W. Va.) won the long jump (20-00.50/6.11m) and took second in the high jump (6-00.00/1.83m).
Senior Chad Showen (Parkersburg, W. Va.) won the pole vault with a mark of 13-05.75 (1.88m).
The Pioneers full team will return to action January 21 for the Marietta Open #1 — their second of five home meets this season.