Oberlin, Ohio – Coming off a historic 2017-18 season, the Oberlin track & field program is ready to kickstart its season at the Case Western Reserve University Holiday Classic on December 1.

The Yeowomen, who will defend their indoor and outdoor North Coast Athletic Conference crowns, have a plethora of returners from last season and a strong group of newcomers to accompany them. The returning group is highlighted by outdoor all-region athletes in Imani Cook-Gist, Linnea Halsten, Grace Finney, and Naeisha McClain. Despite the strong returners the team will  need to pick up the slack of 2018 graduates Lilah Drafts-Johnson, Monique Newton, and Ana Richardson who combined for two national championships and six All-American performances last season.

The men's squad, who placed sixth in outdoors and seventh indoors at the conference meet, will look to build upon its improvement last year. The Yeomen return 27 members of the team from a year ago, including Great Lakes All-Region performers Adriano Atallah, Hank Sinn, and Grant Sheely.

"Our track and field team is coming off our best fall ever. That is a tribute to our student leadership," proclaimed Head Track & Field Coach Ray Appenheimer. "Jahkeem Wheatley, Emily Kelly  Hank Sinn, and John Olsen were out there every day setting a remarkable standard for the rest of the team. We are now being joined by Grant Sheely and Linnea Halsten from cross country, and when Maya English and Christine Impara return from studying abroad, the energy is going to be great. I can't wait to see where this season goes and we're really excited to get things started this weekend at Case Western."

Throws
The women's throwing unit features a foursome of juniors who will step into leadership roles in Jasmine Keegan, Naeisha McClain, Maya English, and Cecelia Longo. Keegan highlights the group as she earned all-conference honors in the pentathlon and shot put in the winter and placed third in the shot put, discus, and hammer events during the conference outdoor meet. After earning All-American honors in the shot put as a rookie, McClain is aiming for a return trip to nationals as she looks to build off her all-region efforts in both the indoor and outdoor shot put last year. English and Longo each contributed to the team titles last year and should produce plenty of points again this year.

"Our juniors are eager and ready to take the torch that Monique and Ana passed to them after graduation and I am very excited to see them step into a leadership role," said Associate Head Track and Field Coach/Recruiting Coordinator John Hepp. "Jasmine, Nae, Maya and CeCe have all had success over the past two years, at the conference and national levels, and they are going to truly come into their own this year."

Additionally, Hepp brought in first-year Victoria Blair who he thinks will make an immediate impact in the shot. "Look for big things from her as she has been working very hard and has tremendous upside."

Seniors Hank Sinn and Chauncey Simmons headline the men's throwing unit. Sinn led the team a year ago with his first-place finish in the hammer a throw, which earned him all-region accolades in the process. Simmons recorded personal-best marks in the shot put, discus, hammer and weight throw events and will look to push up the rankings at conference in his final season.

"This is going to be the best group of men's throwers we have had here in years, led by Hank, said Hepp. "Expectations are high for both him and Chauncey, and they have their eyes set on big goals this year. There is no doubt in my mind that they are going to achieve every one of those goals."

As for the newcomers, Hepp is excited about the addition of Noah Stevens, Jon Teter and Zac Ntia. "Our freshman group is very talented, and their progression is going to be aided significantly by being able to train and work alongside our seniors. Noah, Zach and Jon all have impressive skill-sets, and are poised to step in and contribute immediately this year.

Mid-Distance
"On the women's side, we are excited to return multiple-time All-NCAC performers Oona Jung-Beeman and Shannon Wargo for their junior year," said Assistant Track and Field Coach Izzy Alexander.  The junior duo will contribute invariably in the middle-distance events and in our relays. In addition, look for Grace Blinkoff and Lucia Rathbun to have breakout seasons coming off strong cross country seasons."

First-years Maggie Allen, Sophy Cunningham, and Anna Scott will add depth to the middle-distance squad.  "I am excited to see them gain experience competing in the larger collegiate meets and to learn from and train with the juniors and seniors on the team," proclaimed Alexander.

On the men's side, fans should look out for sophomore Garrett Robins as he battles back from injury that cut his rookie campaign short. He will be a major contributor in middle-distance events along with classmate Samuel Mader. Mader was the second-highest placing first-year in the 800m in last year's NCAC Outdoor Championship race, and after completing his first cross country season, the increased aerobic strength will certainly benefit his 800m and 1500/mile times.

Freshmen Avery Coreschi and Kenny Schafer will be able to compete across a range of events on the track. Their versatility will be important as our men's program looks to climb the team standings at the conference championships.

Long Distance
The women's long-distance squad will be led by cross country all-region honoree and conference runner-up Linnea Halsten. After missing nearly all of last season due to a trip abroad, the senior standout who will be looking for her first conference title on the track along with national appearances both indoors and out. She will be joined by returning conference scorers Rosie Kerwin, Sarah Ridley and Corrie Purcell who will looking to better last year's success in the indoor 3,000 and 5,000-meter events.

First-years Phoebe Von Conta and Mckenzie Patrick should add quality depth to the group and look to make the conference squad indoors and out.

All-region and first-team all-conference performer Grant Sheely headlines the Yeomen's distance corps. The senior will be looking to garner his first conference title indoors in the 3,000 meters and outdoors in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, where he has a chance at a nationals bid. Along with Sheely look for contributions from veterans Will Taylor, Dylan Caban, and Archie Velazquez at the conference level.

First-years Daniel Bevacqui and Samuel Wehr, who have already made an impact in cross country, will bolster the long-distance unit on the track.

"We're coming off a great cross country season and look to this group for lots of points at the conference level. I think we'll see more than a few school records, and a couple of national qualifiers from this group," Appenheimer added.

Sprints/Hurdles
Senior Imani Cook-Gist and junior Jillian Doane are the Yeowomen top returners in the 60, 200, and 400-meter events from last year's NCAC Indoor Championships.  The duo Combined with senior Emily Kelly to make up three quarters of last year's outdoor NCAC runner-up 4x100 relay team.

Newcomer Jada Kennerly will look to add depth in the short sprints and be a presence in the 60-meter hurdles at the conference level.

The Yeomen return senior John Olsen along with sophomores Adriano Atallah and Malachi Clemons.  The trio are the cornerstones of the Yeomen's sprint and relays and will be counted on to provide plenty of points in the conference.

Atallah, sophomore Cameron MacIntyre, and first-year Knox Perry will form a strong multi-event trio, with Atallah entering the season as one of the top returners in the conference.
"Strong returners and a solid group of first-year runners who have adapted to college training quickly is going to produce a really deep sprints and hurdles group," said assistant coach Ben Wach.  "They've done a great job of embracing some new and difficult elements in their training, and it will be exciting to see them start competing."

Jumps
The women's team is happy to welcome back Grace Finney for her third season. The Grand Forks, North Dakota, native was a big contributor at the conference meet winning both the indoor (11-11.25) and outdoor (11-07.00) titles in the pole vault. Behind Finney in the event, Cook-Gist placed third (10-05.25) in the indoor conference championship and fourth (10-03.25) during outdoors.

Watch for first-year vaulters Sarah Voit and Talia Barton to make an immediate impact this season for the Yeowomen.

Seniors Olivia Woods, Kaylee Elliott and Megan Robinson will look to step up for the Yeowomen this season. Woods, placed sixth and seventh in the triple jump at last year's conference meets, while Elliott earned a seventh-place finish (4-9.00) in the high jump as a sophomore.

Juniors Christine Impara and Ally Driscoll have potential to produce at the conference meet. Impara placed fourth (3,422 points) for the team in the heptathlon and picked up a point in the high jump with a leap of 4-09.75.

First-years Malaika Djungu-Sungu and Aesha Mokashi provide depth to the unit and hope to compete both at the conference and national levels immediately.

The Yeomen jumpers are highlighted by senior vaulters Jahkeem Wheatley and Daniel Mukasa. Wheatley won the NCAC Indoor Championship, clearing 14-05.5, and placed third at the outdoor meet with a vault of 14-05.25. Mukasa aims to build upon his 2017-18 campaign where he finished fifth (13-05.75) in the winter and sixth (11' 11.75") at the outdoor league meet.

Combined events specialist in Atallah and senior Ryan Gleeson could also provide plenty of points for the crimson and gold in the jumping events. Atallah earned all-region honors in the heptathlon for his second-place finish in conference (5,801) and also finished ninth (5-08.75) in the high jump in the spring. Gleeson earned a season-best mark of 19-10.25 in the long jump at the 2018 NCAC Outdoor Championships.

Along with newcomers the team will welcome freshman jumper Kofi Asare to the team, who will look to make an immediate impact.

The Schedule
Following the team's season opener at Case Western, Oberlin is set to host three indoor meets scheduled for January 11, February 1, and February 8.

The North Coast Athletic Conference Indoor Combined Events will be contested on February 23, followed by the two-day championships on March 1-2 at The College of Wooster. The national meet will be from March 8-9 at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Massachusetts.

On the outdoor side of the schedule, the teams will honor their senior athletes prior to competing in its annual Bob Kahn Invite on April 6. In addition, the squad will compete at Wofford College during its spring break trip on March 28-29.

The outdoor conference meet will be hosted by Kenyon College this year on May 3-4, with the combined events being contested on the Bob Kahn Track the weekend before (April 27-28). The team will wrap up its 2018-19 season at nearby Geneva, Ohio where the NCAA Outdoor Championships will be from May 23-25.