College notes: O’Brien hits “B” mark for Olympic Trials

ADA - Ohio Northern University track and field standout Jimmy O'Brien (Pemberville) recently hit the U.S. Olympic Trial "B" standard in the 800-meter dash at the Oregon Twilight Meet in Eugene, Ore. - the site of the 2008 Olympic Trials in June.

O'Brien, a two-time national champion in the 800, clocked a time of one minute, 48.45 seconds to eclipse the Olympic "B" Standard time of 1:48.50.

O'Brien's time at Eugene was the fifth-fastest 800-time in NCAA Division III history. This performance, however, will not automatically qualify him for the Olympic Trials.

This past indoor track season, O'Brien finished third at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships at ONU with a time of 1:52.84.

ONU distance coach Jason Maus said O'Brien's race strategy played out pretty well in Eugene.

"The strategy played out perfectly," Maus said. "He was in section one of two (slower of the two heats). He was in third place for the first lap, behind the pacer and another competitor ... and Jimmy sat in lane one.

"After 400 meters, the pacer dropped out and Jimmy and the other competitor moved around the turn and Jimmy really started to push down the back stretch. They came off the last turn and Jimmy just found another gear."

Maus said he thinks O'Brien will have to improve just a little more in order to have a chance to compete in the Olympic Trials.

"To get into the trials, I think he'll have to run a little faster," Maus said. "He and I have talked about finding another meet in June that might give him another opportunity to run faster."

O'Brien said he ran a near-perfect race in Eugene.

"The race went absolutely perfect," O'Brien said. "I got out well and waited in lane one. I then swung wide and kicked it out."

JOE HORN FROSH OF THE YEAR: Ashland University's Joe Horn (Waynesfield) was awarded the Freshman of the Year Award for his performance this spring on the AU track and field team.

Horn has provisionally qualified for nationals (NCAA Division II) in the 400-meter dash and is part of the 400 relay and 1,600 relay teams that have also provisionally qualified for the nationals.

Recently, Horn helped lead AU to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title. Horn was on the winning 400 relay and 1,600 relays. He also took second place in the 200 (21.83) and 400 (49.70).

Horn also finished third in his first-ever decathlon, scoring 6,390 points. The decathlon took place the week before the conference meet and the points Horn recorded counted toward the team score.

JANSEN SETS MARKS: Ohio Northern University sophomore Janelle Jansen (Coldwater) set personal bests in both the long jump and pole vault to help lead the ONU women's track and field team to a first-place finish in the weather-shortened Joe Banks Invitational.

Jansen took first in the long jump with a mark of 16 feet, 9 ¾ inches. She tied for first in the pole vault, clearing 10-6.

SUTHERLAND QUALIFIES FOR NATIONALS: Wilmington College senior Megan Sutherland (Waynesfield) clocked an NCAA provisional time of 1:03.84 in the 400-meter dash (second place) at the Ohio Athletic Conference Track and Field Championships.

Wilmington coach Kyle Wolf said Sutherland finally reached her goal.

"I'm super proud of Megan," Wolf said. "Making nationals has been her goal throughout the season."

WEHRI SETS CAREER RECORDS: Ottoville High School graduate Jarrod Wehri has set five career records in baseball at St. Francis College in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Wehri, a first-baseman, is No. 1 in career at bats, hits, RBIs, consecutive games played and starts.

He had 191 career hits and had a career batting average of .305. He drove in 137 runs for his career and played in 191 games. He had 14 career home runs and 52 career extra base hits.