Baldwin Wallace 4x100-Meter Relay Team is Eighth at NCAA Div. III National Meet; Quartet Earn All-America Honors
 Shawn Cordes |
 Josiah Holt |
 Kevin Johnson |
 Mike Smith |
CLAREMONT, CALIFORNIA -- The Baldwin Wallace University 4x100-mere relay team placed eighth today (Saturday, May 26) on the final day of the three-day 2012 NCAA Division III Outdoor National Track & Field Championships at Claremont (Calif.) Mudd-Scripps College. The eighth place finish makes each member of the Yellow Jacket quartet a Division III All-American. A total of eight Yellow Jackets competed at this year’s national championship event, including seven today.
The 4 x 100-meter relay team of sophomore Shawn Cordes (Medina/ Buckeye), senior Mike Smith (Wintersville/ Indian Creek) and sophomores Josiah Holt (Elyria/ Grafton Midview) and Kevin Johnson (Garfield Heights/ Cleveland St. Ignatius) had a 41.46 timing in the finals to place eighth. The top eight competitors in each event earn NCAA Div. III All-American accolades.
In addition to the relay team, junior Zach Marinucci (Brunswick) was 10th and junior Mitch Supan (Medina/ Walsh Jesuit) was 14th in the men's shot put and senior Leslie Purnell (Springfield/ Central Catholic) was 13th in the women's shot put. Marinucci, who placed 12th in the discus on Thursday, had a throw of 54-feet and seven and one-quarter inches (54'7.25"). Supan, who earned All-America accolades by pacing eighth in the discusx on Thursday and was 15th in the hammer on Friday, had a best-throw nof 52'7.25". Purnell, who was 18th in the women's discus on Thursday, had a top throw of 43'2.25".
The 4 x 100-meter relay team of sophomore Shawn Cordes (Medina/ Buckeye), senior Mike Smith (Wintersville/ Indian Creek) and sophomores Josiah Holt (Elyria/ Grafton Midview) and Kevin Johnson (Garfield Heights/ Cleveland St. Ignatius) had a 41.46 timing in the finals to place eighth. The top eight competitors in each event earn NCAA Div. III All-American accolades.
In addition to the relay team, junior Zach Marinucci (Brunswick) was 10th and junior Mitch Supan (Medina/ Walsh Jesuit) was 14th in the men's shot put and senior Leslie Purnell (Springfield/ Central Catholic) was 13th in the women's shot put. Marinucci, who placed 12th in the discus on Thursday, had a throw of 54-feet and seven and one-quarter inches (54'7.25"). Supan, who earned All-America accolades by pacing eighth in the discusx on Thursday and was 15th in the hammer on Friday, had a best-throw nof 52'7.25". Purnell, who was 18th in the women's discus on Thursday, had a top throw of 43'2.25".
The BW men scored two points and placed in a tie for 67th place. The Yellow Jacket women did not score.
--------------------------------------------------------
Earlier in the meet...................
On Friday (May 25), Supan placed 15th of 20 competitors in the discus with a throw of 180’2”
On Thursday (May 24), the first day of the championships, all eight Yellow Jackets competed. Highlighting the day was Supan earning his third NCAA Division III All-America award by placing eighth in the discus with a throw of 171-feet and three inches. He has earned All-America acclaim twice in the hammer (eighth as a freshman and fourth last year). Also on Thursday, Marinucci placed 12th with a throw of 160’10”; the 4 x 100 relay squad ran a season-best 41.30 seconds to place sixth in its heat and qualify for Saturday’s final; and the duo of junior Cristina Perrine (Middleburg Heights/ Midpark) and Purnell placed 15th and 18th, respectively in the women’s discus. Perrine had a throw of 138’1” and Purnell tossed it 133’10”.
On Thursday (May 24), the first day of the championships, all eight Yellow Jackets competed. Highlighting the day was Supan earning his third NCAA Division III All-America award by placing eighth in the discus with a throw of 171-feet and three inches. He has earned All-America acclaim twice in the hammer (eighth as a freshman and fourth last year). Also on Thursday, Marinucci placed 12th with a throw of 160’10”; the 4 x 100 relay squad ran a season-best 41.30 seconds to place sixth in its heat and qualify for Saturday’s final; and the duo of junior Cristina Perrine (Middleburg Heights/ Midpark) and Purnell placed 15th and 18th, respectively in the women’s discus. Perrine had a throw of 138’1” and Purnell tossed it 133’10”.
FOR MORE BW Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest BW athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter http://twitter.com/bwathletics.