Jena Copley

Drake Pence

The Kenyon College Spring Invitational team champion on the men's side came down to the 4x400 relay, where the Fighting Scots were edged out by Mount Vernon Nazarene University by less than three seconds, which enabled the Cougars to take the crown 128-127, while on the women's side, the Black and Gold turned in a strong third-place showing on Saturday afternoon at Wilder Track in Gambier, Ohio.

Leading by one entering the 4x400, Wooster needed to finish ahead of Mount Vernon Nazarene to secure the win. The two teams did go one-two, but Wooster's quartet of first-year Matt Olszewski, junior Myles Parker, sophomore Aedan Pettit, and junior Jack Petrecca were unable to sprint past the Cougar's top relay that logged a 3:26.74. Wooster's time in the race was 3:29.00.

Despite the outcome of the final race, Wooster still turned in a banner meet, as the Scots collected seven blue-ribbon honors, four of which came in the jumps. Junior Carolyn Webster collected a pair of first-place finishes with top marks in the high jump (5 feet, 1.75 inches) and long jump (17 feet, 8.25 inches), while Petrecca made it a clean sweep in the high jump by topping out at 6 feet, 0.75 inch.

Sticking with the jumps, first-year Drake Pence showcased his versatility with a first-place mark of 39 feet, 3.25 inches in the triple jump, a distance currently ninth in the conference this spring. The meet marked Pence's first time competing in the event as a collegiate student-athlete.

On the track, junior David Westcott broke the tape in the 5000 meters with a 15:38.83, a time that was backed up by sophomore Miki Rae's runner-up showing of 15:53.91. First-year Aidan Enright impressed in the 3000-meter steeplechase with the top time of 10:53.2 (handheld).

Wooster's final first-place showing came in the javelin throw where first-year Jena Copley led a field of seven with a toss spanning 103 feet, 2 inches. Webster wasn't far behind at 101 feet, 4 inches, and both marks are currently in the top-five in the NCAC.

In addition to the men's 5000 meters and the women's javelin throw, Wooster had the top two finishers in the women's high jump, thanks to senior Elizabeth Obi clearing 4 feet, 11.75 inches. Other second-place individual showings came from Webster in the 100-meter hurdles (16.17), first-year Reaghan Beaver in the 3000-meter steeplechase (13:19.04), and sophomore Spencer Wilson in the discus throw (138 feet, 5 inches). In relay action, junior Julia Higgins, senior Mackenzie Kellar, junior Emani Kelley, and sophomore Akwia Tilton teamed up for the second-place time of 4:12.22 in the 4x400.

Next, Wooster heads to the Denison University Invitational on Friday, April 27. The meet will be the final tune-up for the upcoming North Coast Athletic Conference Championships, set to take place at Allegheny College May 4-5. A handful of Wooster student-athletes will get a head-start on the championships at the NCAC Multi-Event Championships held at Oberlin College next weekend.