Oberlin Track and Field Win Fifth NCAC Indoor Campionship Title

The track and field team poses with the NCAC Championship banner. Courtesy of the NCAC Office

Andrea Nguyen

The Oberlin track and field team competed in the North Coast Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships at Wittenberg University Feb. 25–26. The Yeomen placed sixth with 69 points while the Yeowomen took home their fifth indoor championship title with 166.5 points — an astonishing 65.6 points ahead of seond place DePauw University.

In the women’s distance relay, first-year Margo Lee and second-year Lucy Curtis competed with fourth-years Anna Scott and Phoebe von Conta, finishing first with a time of 12:35.98. Scott and von Conta then went on to sweep first and second place in the mile at 5:10.66 and 5:12.97, respectively.

Fourth-year Clare Tiedemann broke her own College record, as well as the NCAC record, in the women’s 60-meter hurdle pentathlon, finishing in second place with a time of 9.01 seconds. She currently stands at 19th place in the NCAA Division III rankings and earned allNCAC honors for her score of 3,157 points in the event. For Tiedemann, breaking this record was more for the team than for herself.

“It was a complete surprise to do that well in the pentathlon — kind of mind-blowing,” she said.

That morning, Tiedemann didn’t think she was even going to compete, let alone advance to nationals, due to a pinched nerve in her neck.

In weight throw, fourth-year Zac Ntia placed first with a throw of 54-09.50 (16.70 meters). Third-year Iyanna Lewis — who stands seventh in the nation in the NCAA Division III rankings — also finished first in weight throw at a distance of 56-07.25 (17.25 meters). Second-year Abby Cannon followed in third place at 51-06.50 (15.71 meters) and placed third in shot put with 39-09.25 (12.12 meters). Cannon also earned all-NCAC honors.

Lewis and Cannon always compete against each other in weight throw, but they rely on each other as teammates and have a strong dynamic.

“I know what I need from [Lewis] to succeed, and she knows what she needs from me to succeed,” Cannon said. “She’s exactly what underclassmen need in an upperclassman; she really stepped into that position as a role model for me.”

Fourth-year Sarah Voit placed first in the pole vault, clearing an impressive 11-11.25 (3.64 meters). She is currently second in the nation going into the NCAA Division III Championships.

In the women’s triple jump, fourth-year Malaïka Djungu-Sungu set a new school and conference record of 38-04.75 (11.70 meters). Djungu-Sungu was named NCAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and is currently ranked 15th place nationally. On the men’s side, fourth-year Kofi Asare earned his second conference title with 46-06.25 (14.18 meters), breaking a College record originally set in 2013.

Asare, along with first-years Reese Hyatt, Sam Fechner, and Cole Fuller, set a College record of 1:31.26 in the 4x200-meter relay. It was their second time running this event all season.

Fuller also broke his own personal record in the men’s 400-meter with a time of 50.80 seconds, earning him all-conference honors and third place in the event.

“I know for [the first-years], it was a really big moment,” Asare said. “To be a first-year and say you have a school record — that’s pretty impressive.”

One key factor that influences this team’s incredible achievements is the drive and support from other team members, creating a hard-working yet relaxed environment. They take cheering for their teammates seriously — from cheering at practice to creating spreadsheets with each athlete’s preferences on how they’d like to be supported.

Cannon describes the team as something similar to a family.

“We’re such a tight-knit group,” she said. “Whether it’s a home meet or away, we make it our meet; we make it our track … No matter what, I know my team’s gonna be behind me.”

Not only did student-athletes find success at the conference, Director of Track & Field and Cross Country Ray Appenheimer earned NCAC Women’s Coach of the Year award. When asked about his approach, he cited the importance of training long before the competition season starts and emphasized the essential role of team captains.

“[Winning] a conference title, breaking records, setting lifetime bests is not just something that happens on a Friday or Saturday in February,” Appenheimer wrote in an email to the Review. “For us, it happened in October when the semester started and we first got together as a team. It was built day in and day out at practice, working hard, supporting one another when no one else was looking. We asked a lot from our first- and second-years who had never been to a conference track and field championship. We have a wonderful group of captains who set the perfect tone at practice, preparing their teammates for big meets. They are awesome, and I couldn’t be more grateful.”

On March 5, some of the athletes will go on to compete at the Last Chance Meet, an optional meet for those who haven’t qualified for nationals or for those who already qualified and want one last opportunity to practice or score even higher. As of now, Tiedemann, Lewis, Voit, and Djungu-Sungu are expected to compete at the NCAA Division III Championships in Boston March 10–12. On May 5–6, Oberlin will be hosting the NCAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

52 Years Later: Remembering Oberlin’s March Madness Moment

John Elrod

Contributing Sports Editor

During March, college basketball grabs the attention of the entire American sports world. From the Division I NCAA tournament to smaller conference tournaments, this time of year seems to produce an unlikely number of dramatic games and underdog stories. Fifty-two years ago, Oberlin College men’s basketball team completed a March Madness Cinderella story of their own when they won the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament against all odds. The run was also marked by evolving racial dynamics on campus and the United States as a whole.

At the heart of the OAC championship team were two fourth-years, Al Wellington — who passed away in 2012— and Randy Miller, OC ’70. They detailed the historic run in their book Oberlin Fever, A Championship Spirit in Black and White. Wellington, who was Black and grew up in the small, housing segregated town of McDonald, Ohio, came from a very different background than Miller, who is white and raised by a minister in Rochester, New York. However, the two were placed as roommates during their first year at the College, and despite differences in their upbringings and personalities, formed a bond that would be key to the basketball team’s success four years later.

Wellington and Miller noted in their book that while Oberlin was a campus known for racial acceptance, Black and white students rarely associated outside of class. They also discussed how differing views on campus of how to address racial issues divided students. The authors expressed a belief that sports teams could serve not just as an opportunity to integrate but as a chance to encourage friendships between Black and white students.

In the college basketball world at the time, integration was reshaping the game. For example, in 1966, Texas Western College — now the University of Texas at El Paso — won the NCAA tournament the year they became the first team in collegiate basketball history to play an allBlack starting five. Within the OAC in 1970, the Oberlin men’s basketball team, with Wellington and Miller as co-captains, set a standard of integrated athletics in the conferences with 5 of their 12 players being Black. The other 13 teams had a total of 14 Black players between them.

Wellington believed the squad’s racial diversity brought a spark to the team’s play.

“What Black students and players brought to Oberlin was an entirely different experience related to sports, and basketball in particular,” Wellington wrote in Oberlin Fever.

Wellington also detailed how the representation of Black athletes drew interest from Black community members, who were often a part of packed crowds watching the team during their OAC championship season. He believed the support of fans gave the team a significant advantage.

Before the raucous Oberlin crowds of the 1970 season, the Yeomen secured a 12–6 record and were poised for success as the No. 2 seed in the seven-team Northern Division section of the OAC tournament. In the first two rounds of the tournament, Oberlin coasted to double-digit wins over the University of Mount Union and Heidelberg University, then known as Heidelberg College. They then beat The College of Wooster by nine to win the Northern Division title. This set up an OAC championship matchup against Wittenberg University, whom Oberlin had not beaten in 18 years. Not only did Oberlin have a history of losing to them, but Wittenberg was also on a 16-game winning streak going into the championship that season.

It was estimated that around 1,500 Oberlin supporters showed up to the game at Baldwin Wallace University to cheer on the Yeomen, greatly outnumbering Wittenberg fans. In front of the fired-up crowd, Oberlin jumped to an early lead and held it the whole game despite Wittenberg cutting it close at times. Wellington and Miller played key roles in the victory, with Wellington leading scorers with 26 points and Miller leading the game in rebounds with nine.

The excitement over the win extended back to Oberlin where fans gathered at Tappan Square to continue the celebration. The festivities were well documented in a March 1970 edition of the Review.

“The win touched off perhaps the wildest athletic victory celebration in College history,” the Review reads. “A prolonged and insistent din of horns began to arise over usually placid Tappan Square shortly after the advance guard of returnees from B-W pulled into town, and it grew steadily into a tumultuous uproar.”

Unfortunately for Oberlin, the OAC tournament extended past the NCAA’s deadline for naming participants of the NCAA tournament, so it would be Capital University, the OAC regular season champion, that would play in the national tournament that year.

The greater significance of the championship team was documented by Wellington and Miller, who believe their win gave the Oberlin campus, which became politically and racially fractured during the late 1960s, something to unite over.

Bryana Woodard smiles proudly in her basketball uniform for media day. Courtesy of Amanda Phillips

Matt Rudella

It was a season for the ages for Oberlin women’s basketball — especially for first-year forward Bryana Woodard — as the Yeowomen tied their all-time season record for wins at 21, earning them a No. 2 seed in the North Coast Atlantic Conference tournament. Woodard was a key piece to this success; the Cincinnati native finished the season with a very strong 14.8 points and 5.6 rebounds, while shooting 52.5 percent from the field. She gained some impressive accolades on the way, including Conference Player of the Week, an all-tournament team selection, and was named to the NCAC second-team. It’s safe to say that the future is bright for Oberlin women’s basketball.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

With a very young team with six out of your top seven players at the top of the rotation being first- and second-year students, what have you learned the most from this year?

It’s great to have a team that’s so young this year. It was even better to be led by the three amazing seniors we had. With such a young team, it is easy to fall apart or focus on the self instead of the team, but the three of them instilled — from way before we even started the season — that we were a family that came first. Together we learned that our age doesn’t matter so long as we stick together and push each other everyday.

You and fellow first-year Camille Zinaich formed a dynamic duo down low, combining for 26.7 points a game and the Conference of the Week honors. What has she meant to you as a teammate, and what are you most looking forward to while playing with her for the next three years?

Millie and I planned to be roommates, so we had been talking all summer about how excited we were to finally play together. We played in a pickup game our first week here and from that moment on, I knew our on-the-court chemistry was something special. We’ve been working to teach each other different aspects of our individual game in order to grow our skillset and make us even more of a threat. I am excited to see how both of our games grow in these next three years and how that bond continues to be strengthened.

Even though the season didn’t end as hoped, with the loss to Ohio Wesleyan University in the conference tournament, what are your thoughts on how the season ended? What are you most looking forward to for next season?

Obviously, any loss is tough, especially the ones that end a season. I think the reason this one hurt so much was because we wanted to win it all so badly, not for ourselves but for each other and our coaches. It was tough that we couldn’t pull it off but it just makes me even more excited for next season. Next year, I’m excited to get back out there and start our journey to a conference championship. Taking everything we learned and with some more experience under our belts, I have a feeling we’ll be pretty dangerous.

Coach Dunmyer has done a fantastic job coaching and recruiting to make this magical season happen, turning the team from 9–17 in 2020 to 21–4 this year. What has she done for your personal growth and the team’s historic turnaround?

Coach Dunny is amazing. Before I had ever met her in person, she constantly checked in — not just on my game, but also on my physical and mental well-being. She pours so much time and heart into coaching us on and off the court. Having someone that we can talk to about anything, basketball-related or not, strengthened our team connection. By instilling in us our team’s core values, we were not only able to make history, but we also had a lot of fun doing it. She and Coach Mo [Maureen Hirt] are my role models.

What’s the biggest difference and adjustment between playing high school basketball and college basketball?

The biggest adjustment between playing high school basketball and college basketball for me would probably be the players. In high school many people were playing for fun. Every player we go against in college has proved they are good enough to play at the collegiate level. The basketball IQ of these girls is insane and it is an honor to play with them. I learn more about the game not only from my teammates, but also our opponents, every day.

What’s the chemistry like on the team? Would you say you’re close with many of your teammates off the court?

The simplest way to put it is: family. Basketball is a long season — almost five months — so it’s good we all love each other. During Winter Term we found ourselves all going out to breakfast, then practice, then maybe a lift before going to watch a movie or going on an adventure together. I am someone who needs my social battery to recharge every once in a while, but when I am with my team it never runs low. I know that my teammates will always be there for me and respect and love me not only as a player, but more importantly as a person. When I committed I had no idea I would be getting a package deal of 15 siblings, but I’m so grateful for each and every one of them.

Society Pressures Athletes’ Bodies to Conform

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tions. I think a major contributor to our team dynamic is making sure that we are all fueling our bodies and being aware that we are constantly losing so many calories, starting with our classes in the morning and afternoons and ending with lifts, practices, and games. We emphasize nurturing our bodies and encourage team lunches and dinners, and meeting with the team nutritionist one on one if needed.”

For all three student-athletes, despite the challenges of body image in sports, being an athlete makes them feel beautiful.

“I feel the most beautiful when I am able to recognize the power that athletics has given my body,” Patchen wrote. “I love knowing that I am capable of much more than what I think my limits are, and that has helped me in so much more than sports.”

Fields explained that being on the field with the support of her teammates and partaking in sports that she loves also makes her feel beautiful as an athlete.

“I feel the most beautiful when I am doing well at something I love,” she wrote. “When I can succeed in my goals and receive support from teammates, I find a lot of love for myself. I can feel that I am doing well and that others can see the work I have put in. My image becomes something on the back burner that I tend to forget about and realize that is not what defines me as a player.”

Oh reflected on how her involvement in other activities besides sports made her a better and more fulfilled athlete.

“Hone in on your sport when the time comes, but immerse yourself with other hobbies and activities that make you happy,” she wrote. “For me, focusing too much on athletics constantly stuck me in a negative mindset; I was constantly thinking about how I can run faster, have better stick skills, and how to compete better. As soon as I started to involve myself in other activities that gave me a different sense of happiness like reading, journaling, going for walks, and lifting, it allowed me to have a different perspective on practices and games.”

Fields cited a piece of wisdom that she was given when she was younger.

“The biggest piece of advice that I would give and that was given to me is that your body does so much for you and is constantly working to support you in everything you do,” she wrote. “Even while sleeping, your body is working to heal and keep you healthy. I think athletes just need to understand that however you see yourself does not compare to the work your body is constantly doing.”

I am lucky to have a team that celebrates my beauty both on and off the field, and for female and femme student-athletes reading this, even if you don’t always feel it, you are beautiful.

Preview into Expanded New Baseball Team

Continued from page 16

Coast Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, look to keep the conference on its toes with fresh talent and a roster that varies from game to game.

“Our expectation with this group is that they’re inexperienced, and there could be some fluctuation in the lineup,” Ray said. “We’ve been proud of the effort and focus, and feel good about where the team is at. We’re playing a lot of developmental games and providing a lot of opportunities for individuals to build.”

Although there are benefits to having such a huge roster this year, this tactic calls into question the ability for the team’s leadership to maintain cohesion. Despite this, the coaching staff remains optimistic in the leadership of the upperclassmen, particularly the seniors.

“Our senior class has been great — the only class that was here for a full season,” Ray said. “They lead in their own ways, and the younger guys have an opportunity to gravitate toward the leadership style they respond to.”

Right-handed pitcher and fifth-year Nick Dawkins, tries to use his experience to set expectations for the young roster.

“I like to lead by example and give advice for off the field,” Dawkins said. “I provide a lot of insight into opponents as well. We had a scrimmage against [The College of] Wooster and I tried to talk everyone through what it’s like to play in the conference.”

Still, the Yeomen know that the conference underestimates their talent, which requires them to focus on keeping their goals in sight and coming out tenaciously this season.

“At practice or a game, I get on people about what they’re doing so they can stay laser focused on the goal,” Dawkins said. “It’s created a great culture where people have started to call out others when they’re not paying attention so we can keep our goals in sight.”

The culture shift for the veteran baseball players this coming season is very hopeful.

“The culture is 100 percent different than what I’ve seen in the past, one reason being the older people trying to get better on their own,” Dawkins said. “Juniors and seniors stay back to hit more, and underclassmen follow suit. One thing I want to develop this season is maintaining focus and intensity through a weekend series. If we develop that focus we have a shot to be a really good team.”

The Yeomen have the work ethic and team culture to come out strong and to capitalize on being an unknown force in the conference and the division. The team looks to best Berea College, which currently stands at 1–5, in its season opener today.