Two Oberlin Track and Field

SPORTS

March 18, 2022 Established 1874

Two Oberlin Track and Field Athletes Earn All-American Honors

Sarah Voit sails through the air to earn indoor All-American honors. Courtesy of D3photography

Matt Rudella

This past weekend’s NCAA indoor track and field championships in North Carolina were a massive success for the Yeowomen, boasting two top-five finishes and two All-American nominations, among other achievements. The weekend was kickstarted by third-year weight thrower Iyanna Lewis and fourth-year pole vaulter Sarah Voit, who both ended with All-American recognition. Fourth-year pentathlete Clare Tiedemann also set a school record and personal best. The weekend closed with fourth-year triple jumper Malaika Djungu-Sungu, who posted a strong 11.36 meters and improved from the 19th to 17th seed.

Sarah Voit had a remarkable performance in the pole vault, topping her own program record of 3.9 meters with a 3.95-meter, second-place finish. Despite her success, Voit says that the championship performance hasn’t hit her yet.

“[I was] just focusing on doing the best that I could at the meet, and then after the meet was over, it’s back to work and school and training and the rest of life,” she said.

Voit’s 3.95 meters put her in a tie for first with Ithaca College’s Meghan Matheny. They both failed to clear the 4-meter bar, leading to a tiebreaker that Voit unfortunately lost due to having more faults. This kind of tight battle in the championships would get in a lot of athletes’ heads, but not Voit’s.

“Honestly, I was not really thinking about that at the moment,” Voit said. “I get into competition mode and really control and repress all unnecessary emotions during the competition. Pole vault is hard enough to think about, and if I really started to think about how high the bars are that I’m jumping at or actually realize that I am battling for a national title with one other competitor, that kind of awareness and pressure in the moment is too much, and I’d probably end up crumbling under that sort of mindfulness.”

However, this doesn’t signal the end for Voit, as she’s planning on finishing on an even higher note in the spring season.

“My goals are to get into a better mindset than I had indoors so I can enjoy the season more and take more pride in my accomplishments, to stay physically healthy, and to improve some technique aspects of my jump,” she said. “If I do all these things, I’ll be able to jump well, be in a great spot to win outdoor nationals, and be proud of myself regardless of what I do at that specific meet.”

Iyanna Lewis, who entered as the eighth seed, was the second top-five finish for the Yeowomen, snagging fourth place overall, with a personal best and program record of 18.49 meters, and passing previous record holder Ana Richardson, OC ’18. Breaking Richardson’s record has been a goal of Lewis’ for a while, so she was elated when she realized she finally passed it.

“I memorized Ana Richardson’s mark in hopes that one day I might pass it,” Lewis said. “Seeing the mark, I knew instantly that I had accomplished the biggest goal I had set for myself, and that I could walk away, regardless of what place I got at the meet, knowing that I proved it to myself that I could do it, and knowing that I earned it.”

Lewis earned this mark through daily practice in a month-long grind leading up to this moment, and by not questioning any of her coaches’ tactics or her own abilities.

The change of coach, the pandemic, and losing a season last year led to a jump in progression from her first to her third year.

“This gave me a new appreciation for what I’m doing because I recognize now that these opportunities are not guaranteed,” Lewis said. “It allows me to come to a competition both with grit and desire to do well but peace in knowing that I’m happy to be there at all.”

Lewis also made it clear that the new throws coach, Rocco Mitolo, gave her the boost she needed to get to nationals.

“I think that he did a great job at figuring out exactly what I needed to achieve my goals,” Lewis said. “I have a lot of trust in what he and all the other coaches tell us to do, simply because of how many conference champions, All-Americans, and national champions have come through this program.”

Continuing the momentum of the spectacular weekend, pentathlete Clare Tiedemann posted a point total of 3,183, besting her own program record of 3,157 points and moving from 21st to 13th place. Tiedemann was thoroughly impressed with her finish, especially after moving up eight seeds and having a tough start.

“My opening race, hurdles, wasn’t what I was hoping for it to be and that’s where I usually derive most of my points from,” Tiedemann said.

Tiedemann, Voit, and Lewis are all looking to build off of their performances in the spring, where they will compete outdoors and are more comfortable.

“I think I am much better at the events I do outdoors,” Tiedemann said. “I’ve improved a lot in the 60-meter hurdles, but those are highly dependent on block starts and the ability to accelerate in a very short time. My strengths, however, are to continue to accelerate over each hurdle for the whole race. So now I have a lot more hurdles to get over and more time to pass competitors!”

The bond between these team members is stronger than ever, and Tiedemann made it clear how much her teammates’ success means to her.

“Seeing my teammates succeed feels just as amazing as succeeding myself,” she said. “I know just how hard they work and how mentally tough they are. Both Iyanna and Sarah have been dealing with injuries and pain, and have been doing everything in their power to both take care of themselves and still compete hard. And Malaika has been incredibly busy this semester and last balancing so many things on top of track and still steadily improving all season.”

This tight-knit group put together one of the most memorable performances in Oberlin athletic history, and all four will look to improve on their already jaw-dropping numbers in the outdoor season.

Volume 151, Number 15

Brittney Griner’s Story Highlights Need for Change in WNBA

Brittney Griner, one of the most recognizable players in women’s basketball, plays against New York Liberty. Courtesy of Sarah Stier, Getty Images

Zoe Kuzbari Sports Editor

WNBA Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner was apprehended in Russia this past month and faces drug-smuggling charges for the possession of vape and “hashish” products. The arrest comes at a tumultuous time, threatening Griner’s safety as the war continues between Russia and Ukraine. Griner, a queer Black athlete, travels to Russia every year to play basketball during the WNBA’s offseason, but there are major concerns about her well-being due to Russia’s antagonistic views toward the LGBTQ+ community. Griner’s decision to play in a country that oppresses LGBTQ+ people may perplex some, but it simply comes down to the fact that the WNBA has severely underpaid her, as it has historically underpaid its athletes.

In Russia, Griner makes about five times more than what she makes in a season for the WNBA. Last season, her base salary on the Mercury was only a little over $220,000. On the other hand, UMMC Ekaterinburg, Griner’s team in Russia, pays her over $1 million. It makes sense that she would travel to and play in Russia during her time off from the WNBA, but she shouldn’t have to fly across the world to get paid what she deserves.

Griner’s salary in the U.S. is more than enough to live off of. But for a professional athlete at the top of her field, $220,000 is nothing. For context, Stephen Curry is currently the highest-paid athlete in the NBA, earning $45.8 million just this season — that’s 204 times more than Griner’s salary.

Last year, Griner earned the honorable distinction of being one of the best athletes in the league. She is considered the “apex of her sport.” Similar to Curry, she is the best of the best and a living legend, but she is not nearly as respected by the WNBA as Curry is by the NBA and, as a consequence, she has been severely taken advantage of.

“She was second in scoring, sixth in rebounds, first in blocks (she’s on track to become the WNBA’s all-time leader in that category), and, according to most advanced metrics, the best offensive player in the league,” New York Magazine wrote.

In 2012, Griner won an NCAA national championship for Baylor University and was widely