The College of Wooster track & field teams competed outdoors for the first time in 2008 this weekend, as the Fighting Scots were among a field of primarily NCAA Div. I squads at the UNCW Seahawk Invitational in Wilmington, N.C. Wooster faired well in the highly-competitive environment, with the Scot men placing seventh and the women ninth in the 11-team field. The host school, UNC-Wilmington, won both team titles.

Wooster’s seventh-place finish (18.5 points) was keyed by the performance of sophomore triple jumper Eric Dyer. He was the runner-up in his specialty with a mark of 13.71 meters, only finishing behind Loic Sebuharara of Div. I University at Buffalo (13.97 meters).

Also in the field, the Scots received seventh-place individual performances from Robert McConnell in the pole vault (3.75 meters) and Seth Stuck in the javelin (45.25 meters), and Averell Gatton added a tie for eighth-place in the high jump (1.83 meters).

Wooster’s other scorer came on the track, where Mark DeWine finished eighth of 20 competitors in the 5000 meters (16:14.44).

In women’s action, the Scots (10 points) were paced by junior thrower Katie Dale, as she took fifth overall in the shot put (11.14 meters) and their sixth-place 4x400 meter relay team (4:23.15).

Noteworthy, Wooster produced several top-10 showings, as Ali Drushal earned ninth in the javelin (35.00 meters), Suzanne Capehart crossed 10th in the 800 meters (2:30.92), Kayla Miller hit 10th in the triple jump (10.32 meters), and KateLynn Riley was 10th in the 100-meter hurdles (16.97), and Miller and Elizabeth Wardrop were ninth (1.53 meters) and 10th (1.48 meters), respectively, in the high jump.

The Scots continue their annual spring break training trip this week and will compete again next Saturday at the Lynchburg Invitational.