Men's Track and Field | 5/3/2025 11:18:00 PM

Greencastle, Indiana – The Oberlin College track and field teams competed today in the second and final day of the NCAC outdoor championships, hosted by DePauw. The Yeomen totaled 69 points to place 6th, while the Yeowomen scored 28.5 points for 8th. At the top of the standings, Wabash won the men's title with 172.5 points as DePauw won the women's with 235. 
 
The Yeomen had a handful of strong events, with event winners in the triple jump, 400m hurdles, 1500m, and 3000m steeplechase. But with just two points in the throws, the team lacked the breadth to contend for the team title. Meanwhile, the Yeowomen scored a smattering of points, but didn't crack double digits in any event. 
 
Opening the day's action in the field, Namu Makatiani leapt a monumental 14.72m in the triple jump. With his third-round jump, the junior bettered his own school record of 14.60, and secured his fourth NCAC title in the event. Only taking three of his jumps out of the six allotted, and fouling the first, the second-year never jumped under 14m. On top of that, second place in the event was over a meter behind Makatiani's new record. His  winning mark broke the championship record by 22 centimeters, and ranks him 11th in Division III. Adding depth in the event, sophomore Dane Mentore jumped 13.13m for third, his highest career conference placement. On the women's side, junior Anna Fritz snagged 8th with a leap of 10.20m.
 
Returning for the 110m hurdles final, Makatiani ran 14.99 for 5th place, getting beasted out of a podium spot only in the last few meters of the race. Although the junior didn't match his school-record run of 14.64 from the prelims, his finals time is the second-fastest time of his career. 
 
In the 400m final, Yrva Desormeaux ran 61.20 for 7th place. The first-year clocked a personal best of 61.11 in the prelims, and nearly matched that time in the final, an impressive feat in only her second appearance at a collegiate conference meet. 
 
For the third consecutive year, Cole Fuller won the 400m hurdles title, completing his three-peat in 53.12. With today's race, the senior broke his own school record of 53.60 from last year's championship, outclassing his nearest competitor by 1.71 seconds. Fuller's time currently ranks him 11th in Division III, and could qualify him for the national championships.
 
In the final of the 800m, Treyce Wood took 5th in 1:58.66. The junior ran a hard positive split (53.9/64.8), but matched his placement in the prelims. 
 
On the women's side, senior Camila Ciembroniewicz claimed 5th in 2:22.22, as classmate Sage Serraino took 8th in 2:27.73.
 
In the 1500m, Piers Shirk earned his first conference crown in 3:58.93. The race opened somewhat slowly, as Shirk lurked mid-pack for the early laps. As the pace picked up, the sophomore came through the bell in fifth, and was poised in fourth with 150m to go. Off the final turn, Shirk swung wide, battling Wooster's Drew Robertson and Kenyon's Charlie Blackmer down the homestretch. Shirk gained a slight edge in the final meters, edging out Robertson by .11 and Blackmer by .14. With his win today, Shirk keeps the 1500m title in Oberlin hands for a second straight year. The defending champion, senior Walter Moak, was forced to withdraw from today's race following his fall in Friday's steeplechase. 
 
In the 4x100m relay, the men's team of Fuller, Reese Hyatt, Carson Franks, and Suryansh Yadav ran a season best of 42.77 for 7th place. The women's relay of Fritz, Desormeaux, Heather Benway and Ryley Steggall also ran a season best in 50.11, good for 5th place.
 
Coach Wach noted Fuller and Makatiani as the weekend's standout athletes. "We had three school records this weekend – Namu in the triple jump and 110 hurdles, and Cole in the 400 hurdles," Wach said. "Namu and Cole have completely rewritten the hurdles records over the past two years, and we saw their best races align at the perfect moment this weekend."
 
For most of the team, this weekend's championships conclude the season. However, a small number of athletes will compete in last chance meets, aiming to qualify for the national championships. The Crimson and Gold will return to action at the Harrison Dillard Twilight Meet, hosted at Baldwin-Wallace, May 8-9. 
 
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.