February 16, 2005

Zips Dominate Distance Races at All Ohio. Men's & Women's Teams Crowned All Ohio Champions

The men's and women's distance groups won 9 or 10 middle distance events to help both teams claim All Ohio Championships. It is the first time both squads have won All Ohio in the same year. Juniors Brandi Schoeppner and David Pykare were the brightest stars of the day, with each winning their event in school record time. Schoeppner erased teammate Adriana Zalucka from the record books in the 3000m, running 9:46.11 on the strength of a 5:08 last mile. Pykare ran 4:08.18 bettering Jim Luth's 4:10.4 from 1982. Like Schoeppner, Pykare blistered the last half of the race. After passing through the half mile in a lackluster 2:10 he turned on the jets to run 1:58 for the last half mile.

Akron's other event winners were Jeff Swartzel (1:55.44) and Jennie Castle (2:10.42) in the 800m, Beata Rudzinska in the women's mile (4:49.30), David Howard (8:31.28) in the men's 3000m, Morgan Sulzener (17:24.70) in the 5000m, and both distance medley relays. The men's relay (10:16.88) was composed of Ricky Weisheimer (1200m), Chris Bennett (400m), Lennie King (800m), and Scott Mate (1600m). The women's relay of Beata Rudzinska (1200m), Emily Freudenrich (400m), Rachel Zubricky (800m), and Jennie Castle (1600m) ran 11:55.53.

All Ohio Results

Brandi Schoeppner runs 9:46.11