Maria Balch

5-7, Senior
Mason, OH
Northwestern High School

Maria (Harley) Balch is a four-year distance runner for the Lady Jackets.....appeared in three varsity meets in 2006.....fastest time for the 5K was 21:00 which placed 55th of 131 runners at the AMC/NAIA Region IX Championship.

2005 - Ran in four varsity meets as a sophomore.....best time of the year was 21:46 at the Southeastern Classic.

2004 - Ran in the first four meets as a freshman before an injury ended her season.....was CU's #5 finisher and placed 78th of 357 runners at the Louisville Classic with a career-best time of 19:53.....made her collegiate debut at the Hope Invitational with a 20:21 effort.

High School - Produced a record-setting career at Northwestern High School in Springfield.....two-time All-Ohio Division II runner after placing 8th in the state as a senior and 24th as a junior.....won back-to-back Clark County individual titles.....named Springfield News-Sun Area Runner of the Year and Clark County Runner of the Year following senior season.....earned all-district, all-county, and All-Central Buckeye Conference honors all four years of her career.....four-time regional qualifier.....led team to district, county, and conference titles to go along with a third-place regional finish.....member of three-time CBC championship team.....twice ran in the Footlocker Midwest Regional Championship in Kenosha, Wisconsin.....twice named an OHSAA Scholar-Athlete.....distance runner on the track with all-area, all-county, and all-conference recognition.....four-time regional qualifier and ran in the state meet once.....National Honor Society student.....salutatorian of graduating class.

Personal - Dean's List student as a biology major at Cedarville University.....born 6/27/86 in Montgomery, AL.....married to former Yellow Jacket distance runner David Balch.....daughter of William H. Harley III and Lorraine A. Knudsen-Harley.....has two younger sisters.