Track & Field | 2/14/2025 10:00:00 PM

Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College track and field teams split the weekend with a select number of athletes traveling north for the Grand Valley State Big Meet, and the greater chunk of the team staying home to host the Crimson and Gold Invitational. Both the men's and women's team each notched nine personal bests.

Assistant Coach Eric Line led a small crew of athletes in the Big Meet in Michigan. As the Yeomen's lone competitor on Friday, Jonah Barber blazed a time of 15:03.44 in the 5,000m. With his run, Barber dropped 50 seconds from his personal best to land at No. 2 on Oberlin's all-time indoor list. The race was a breakthrough performance for the senior: despite boasting an impressive cross-country resume, Barber had yet to match his success on the track. Barber believes today's race portends well for the NCAC championships. "I'm definitely aiming for the podium," he said.
 
Head Coach Ben Wach was thrilled with Barber's race and the performances at home that followed it. "What a day of capitalizing on opportunities!" Wach said. "Jonah got things rolling before the home meet even started, and we got to enjoy a parade of personal bests from there."
 
Back home at the Crimson and Gold Invitational, Oberlin boasted several impressive performances in the field. Competing only against himself, senior Luke Yates leaped to a personal best and conference qualifying mark in the men's triple jump, landing in the sand at 12.75m. This places him third in the NCAC, with only fellow teammates Dane Mentore and Namu Makatiani in front of him. 
 
In the ring, first-year Maddie Farbman notched a new personal best in the weight throw with a mark of 8.96m. Later, junior Ella Wozek made her debut in the shot put, throwing an impressive 7.28m with their first-ever throw. Continuing the personal bests and debuts, freshman Judah Moenoa threw a 10.75m, a grand gesture in his first collegiate competition, coming from Yeomen football. His teammate Abraham Cormartie V continued with this success, adding a personal best with a throw of 11.42m. In the shot put, Moenoa debuted with a throw of 11.57m.
 
At the high jump pit, both of Oberlin's combined-event athletes tuned up for their conference competitions next weekend. Juniors Celia Vaughn and Kit Evans jumped season bests at 1.45m and 1.17m, respectively, as well as top two finishes in their events. 
 
Starting on the track, the Yeomen in the men's mile went 1-2-3, with junior Charles Endres leading the pack the whole race and finally crossing the line in 4:39.65. Freshmen Greydan Villano and Grant Hirsch followed shortly, running 4:47.62 and 4:57.51, a personal best for Villano. There was yet another Oberlin sweep in the women's mile, in which the top three Yeowomen gained new personal bests. Winning the race, sophomore Char Purcell hit a seven-second personal best, crossing the finish line in 5:30.42. Following her was junior Amber Borofsky just a second later with a time of 5:31.44. Freshman Solana Pearl finished third in 5:57.96, yet another personal best for the Yeowomen. 
 
Following up this success was the women's 400m dash, with junior Clara Smith crossing the line first in a season best time of 1:05.12. Smith was closely followed by senior Lillian McFarlin, who ran a 1:06.26. Vaughn, who had mere minutes in between the hurdles and the 400m, still ran quite the race and crossed the line in 1:08.92, a great mark for the heptathlete. Yet again, the Yeowomen swept the podium. Back on the straightaway, senior Reese Hyatt started off his 60-200 double with a win of 7.29 in the 60m dash, which was shortly followed by another win in the 200m dash, just beating his competition in a landslide with a time of 23.57. Also, with a 60-200 double, freshman Averi Williams, who, coming off of soccer season, got second in the women's 60m in 8.88 and had a first-place finish in the 200m with a personal best of 29.70. Fellow freshman and soccer teammate Sawyer Ramburg beat her out for the winning spot in the 60m, running an 8.77. All times involved were personal bests for the athletes, with both of them also securing their first collegiate wins. 
 
Wrapping up the meet and running only their second race this indoor season, senior Johnny Ragsdale led a crew of Oberlin runners to personal bests in the men's 800m dash. They finished second with a time of 2:08.81, followed closely by freshman Geoff Arone, with a time and personal best of 2:12.55, and Toby Wells-Spackman in 2:14.60. Finally, the men's 3000m run was highlighted by Danny Markey and Will Gordon who both hit personal bests in the event, a team effort by the senior and the sophomore, who finished in 9:06.59 and 9:09.33, respectively and going one and two.
  
Tomorrow, Saturday, February 15, the bulk of the team will compete at the All-Ohio Championships, hosted by Otterbein, near Columbus. Meanwhile, in Michigan, the men's distance medley relay of Piers Shirk, Cole Fuller, Treyce Wood, and Walter Moak will spike up for the second day of competition. 

Complete Crimson & Gold Results
 
Fans can keep up with their favorite teams on Instagram, Facebook, X, or TikTok, and watch all the home matches live online. The Crimson and Gold's home broadcasts can be accessed on TV through the official Oberlin College Sports Network app on Roku, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV.