May 21-23, at NAIA Nationals
Becky Jordan and Nate Freeman earned All-America status at the NAIA Track & Field Championships. The top six finishers in each event are named All-Americans. Jordan placed sixth in the 5,000 meter run in 17:59.85. She is a three-time NAIA All-American in cross country and was an NAIA Indoor Track All-American this past winter. Freeman was fourth in the high jump upon clearing 6-feet 10.75-inches. Entering the 1998 season, Cedarville's high jump record of 6-9 had stood since 1965 and this was the second time this spring that Freeman had cleared 6-10.75. In other notable performances, Sandy Swales finished seventh in the women's hammer throw with a toss of 141 feet. Jill Breckenfeld was eighth in the marathon by covering the 26-miles 385-yards in 3:17:26 while teammate Rebecca Jenks was ninth in 3:22:23. The top eight places in each event are scored.
May 1-2, at NCCAA Nationals
The Lady Jackets won the NCCAA banner for an unprecedented fifth straight time while, on the other hand, the Cedarville men finished second in their division for the sixth time in the past seven years. The women piled up 113 points to edge fellow Mid-Ohio Conference member Malone College, who finished with 105.5. Host Indiana Wesleyan (71.5), Taylor (67), and Olivet Nazarene (65) rounded out the top five. The Lady Jackets used their depth to grab the team title as they won just two events total and placed second in only two others. Becky Jordan won the 5,000 meter run in 18:02.14 and had support from teammates who finished in positions three through six. Sandy Swales took first in the hammer throw with a heave of 139-feet 4-inches. On the men's side, Taylor totalled 171 points and was followed by Cedarville (142), Malone (135), Mid-America Nazarene (117) and Olivet Nazarene (49) in the top five. The Yellow Jackets had three first-place finishes. Eddie Nehus won the 800 meters in 1:54.97, Nate Freeman claimed the high jump title by clearing 6-feet 8-inches, and Dan Hudson won the discus with a throw of 152-5. [SEE COMPLETE NCCAA MEN'S AND WOMEN'S RESULTS]
April 25, at Cincinnati Invitational
Becky Jordan won the 3,000 meter run at the University of Cincinnati Invitational in 10:03.29. She qualified for the NAIA Nationals and erased another one of Julianne Pletcher's school records. Jordan earlier topped her mark in the 5,000. In other women's highlights, Jodi Quint won the javelin with a heave of 113-8. The 4 x 400 meter relay team of Jenifer Heidenreich, Christy Taylor, Sarah Pollock, and Kelly Reitz won in 4:14.93. In the men's division, Nate Freeman upped his school mark in the high jump to 6-feet 10.75-inches which also gave him automatic qualifying status to the NAIA meet. Six jumpers cleared 6-10.75, but Freeman finished fourth based on misses. Cedarville's high jump record was the school's oldest -- last set in 1965 -- until Freeman broke it this spring. Dan Hudson won the discus with a toss of 147-7. Eddie Nehus finished first in the 800 meters in 1:55.89.
April 18, Mid-Ohio Conference Championships at Rio Grande, OH
Cedarville totalled 96 points to win their second Mid-Ohio Conference women's track and field title. The Jackets outdistanced Malone (87), Walsh (74), Rio Grande (51), and Tiffin (0). Paul Orchard was voted MOC Coach of the Year. Sandy Swales and Lindsey Mitchell each won two field events to lead the way for the lady Jackets. Swales won the hammer throw (139-4) and the discus (116-10) while Mitchell was a winner in the high jump (5-0) and triple jump (33-6.5). Jodi Quint broke her own school record in winning the javelin for the second straight year (120-7), Becky Jordan was first in the 1500 meters (4:43.86), and Jen Heidenreich won the 400 meter hurdles (1:06.87). Malone won the men's meet with 106 points and was followed by Cedarville (98.5), Walsh (57), Rio Grande (50.5), and Tiffin (3). Linton Ellis won the 100 (11.16) and 200 meter (22.61) dashes while Dan Hudson won both the javelin (168-7) and the discus (164-10). Others winning for Cedarville were Jason Alexander in the pole vault (12-6), Nate Freeman in the high jump (6-8), Eric Crawford in the 10,000 meters (33:19.95), Eddie Nehus in the 800 meters (1:56.50), Cliff Reynolds in the 400 meter hurdles (54.45), and the 4 x 400 meter relay team (3:23.52).
April 11, at Miami Classic
The Yellow Jackets competed against an NCAA Division I field at the Miami University Track & Field Classic. In the women's division, the host Redhawks won the meet with 198 points while the Lady Jackets were 8th with 27. Becky Jordan won the 5,000 meter run with a school-record time of 17:21.93. She also met the NAIA qualifying standard of 17:31.23 in the event. Sandy Swales was 3rd in the hammer throw (146-7) which broke her own school record again and also met the NAIA qualifying mark of 143-0.. Western Michigan won the men's title with 182 points and Cedarville tied Louisville for 6th place with 27 points. Jon McGinnis was 2nd in the pole vault after clearing 16-feet even and he qualified for the NAIA Nationals (15-7), and Dan Hudson finished 2nd in the discus (47.76m).
April 4, at Wittenberg Invitational
Nathan Freeman set a school record in winning the high jump by clearing 6-feet 10-inches. He erased the oldest outdoor mark in the books at Cedarville surpassing Bud Davis' 6-9 effort set in 1965. In other men's events, Eddie Nehus won the 800 meter run (1:58.66), Cliff Reynolds won the 400 meter hurdles (56.63), Dan Hudson had the longest throw in the discus (156-10), and the 1600 meter relay team took first (3:28.55). In the women's division, the Lady Jackets claimed five top spots. That list included Kelly Reitz in the 400 meters (1:04.21), Jenny Heidenreich in the 400 meter hurdles (1:09.16), Becky Jordan in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (11:44.82), Lindsey Mitchell in the triple jump (35-6.75), and Sandy Swales in the discus (115-3).
March 28, FIFTH ANNUAL CEDARVILLE COLLEGE INVITATIONAL
Dan Hudson qualfied for the NAIA Nationals in the discus by placing second with a toss of 168-feet 8-inches which bettered the qualifying standard of 159-6. Hudson won the javelin (167-8) and had four other teammates win their events as well. The foursome included Ben Thompson in the 10,000 meter run (33.43.4), Cliff Reynolds in the 400 meter hurdles (54.51; meet record), Chris Leverette in the long jump (21-8), and Joel Peterson in the 3,000 meter steeplechase (10:07). For the women, Jenifer Heidenreich won the 400 meter hurdles in 1:08.78. Sandy Swales broke her own school record in hammer throw with an effort of 138-1.
March 20-21, at Florida State Relays
Becky Jordan and Rachelle Elder met the 38:10 NAIA Nationals qualifying mark in the 10,000 meters in their first outdoor showing of the season. Jordan had a time of 37:40 while Elder was clocked in 37:49. Two other Lady Jackets broke their own school records. Sandy Swales set a new mark in the hammer throw with a heave of 130-feet while Jodi Quint had a throw of 120-feet 7-inches in the javelin.