Update:
Chris Shaw Earns All-American Honors in Discus;
Sara Bohall Qualifies for Finals in 400-Meter Hurdles

Sara Bohall and Chris Shaw are
Division III All-Americans in Track

Sports News and Features

Earlham Athletes Ready for National Championships

For Immediate Release:
May 20, 2008

RICHMOND, Ind. — An excited crowd of well-wishers inside the Earlham College Athletics and Wellness Center paid tribute to senior Sara Bohall and sophomore Chris Shaw on Tuesday, May 20.

Chris Shaw

Chris Shaw

The high-fives and hugs were in support of the duo as they began their journey to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The event on J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium in Oshkosh, Wis., is scheduled for May 22-24.

Both compete on the opening day. “We’ve had good training sessions since the North Coast Athletic Conference Championships (May 1-2) when they both won individual titles,” Earlham Head Coach Nick Johnson said. “My expectation for them is to do the best they can, but I would love to see both of them finish in the top eight. The opportunitiy is right in front of them.”

Last year, Walker Yane '07 made history as he became Earlham's first NCAA Division III All-American in men's track and field by finishing eighth in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. The top eight earn a place on the Division III All-America team. “Walker’s success made it a tangible goal for Sara and Chris,” Johnson said.

Shaw (Anderson, IN/Pendleton Heights) has the fourth-best qualifying distance in the men’s discus at 167’1” with that event beginning at 3 p.m. (CDT). The top nine in the field of 16 make the finals, which will also be Thursday.

“I’m feeling really great,” Shaw said. “Sunday was my last day of practice before leaving for nationals, and I’m pleased how things are coming along. I just can not wait to get up there and throw because this is the biggest stage where Division III athletes can compete.”

Sara Bohall

Sara Bohall

Bohall (Westport, IN/Columbus East) runs in the first heat of the women’s 400-meter hurdle preliminaries on Thursday at 5 p.m. The three heat winners and the next six fastest competitors make the finals, which will be Saturday at 3:15 p.m. “I’m just going out there and try to get to the finals and see what happens,” Bohall said.

Over the last few weeks, Bohall’s has been training for just the 400-meter hurdles and not the other events in which she competed for most of the season. “It’s been really nice to not have to worry about other races, but it makes the pressure to run well this week much greater,” she said. “I only have one chance to make a name for myself.”

As of May 17, Bohall’s qualifying time of 62.64 seconds was the ninth-best in the nation at the Division III level. “The competition is going to be close,” she said. “I have to approach this as if it was just another meet, and I’m going to try to do my best. I’ve been focusing on running my race instead of worrying about the other people on the track.”

— EC —

Contact:
Don Tincher, sports information director
765/983-1795 — E-Mail Don