Posted May 31 2001, 09:19 am
Posted by: Ryan Maurer
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio - Four Wittenberg University spring athletes competed recently at NCAA Division III national meets. Tennis player Bryan Heft and track athletes Josh Guerreri, Abi Gerstle and Andrea Warner wrapped up their respective season's at these meets.
Heft recently completed a very successful career with an appearance in the NCAA Division III Mens Tennis Singles Championships. In the first appearance by a Wittenberg tennis player in more than a decade, the Gahanna Lincoln High School graduate dropped a three-set first-round match by scores of 3-6, 7-5, 4-6 to end the season at 22-5 in first singles competition.
Hefts success at Wittenberg included a career first singles record of 61-27 and four appearances on the all-North Coast Athletic Conference team, including three first-team nods. Heft also found success in the doubles ranks, teaming with sophomore Casey Clagett to garner second-team all-NCAC honors.
Heft, the son of Steve and Joyce Heft of Gahanna, graduated recently from Wittenberg with a degree in management.
Guerreri, Gerstle and Warner participated in the NCAA Division III Track Championships held May 24-25 at Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois. Guerreri finished 14th overall in the decathlon, one of track's most demanding competitions. Guerreri finished the competition with 5,861 total points, thanks in part to a first place finish in his heat of the 110-meter hurdles. Guerreri also placed fifth in his section of the discus throw and sixth in both the 100 and 400 meter dashes.
The meet in Decatur wrapped up a successful season and career for the 1997 Avon Lake High School graduate. During his senior campaign, Guerreri took top honors in the decathlon at the North Coast Athletic Conference meet in May. At the same meet, Guerreri broke his own school and NCAC records in the event and also finished second in the 110-meter hurdles. During indoor competition this season, Guerreri took second place in the 55-meter hurdles at the NCAC meet.
Guerreri recently graduated summa cum laude from Wittenberg with a degree in economics. He is the son of Daniel and Gerri Guerreri of Avon.
Gerstle finished ninth in her heat of the 1,500-meter run in a time of 4:53.85, but did not qualify for the finals. This capped off a successful sophomore season for Gerstle. At the North Coast Athletic Conference meet, Gerstle finished second in the 1,500 meters. Also a member of the cross country team at Wittenberg, Gerstle finished third overall at the NCAC meet in October, earning her first-team honors. As a freshman, Gerstle received an award for most improved runner on the cross country team and claimed the NCAC championship in the steeplechase during track season.
Gerstle also participates in Prime Time, Strong Tower and Athletes for Christ at Wittenberg and is currently undecided on a major thus far. A 1999 graduate of Kettering Fairmont High School, Gerstle is the daughter of Joe and Anita Gerstle of Kettering.
Warner qualified for the meet in the javelin throw after earning a provisional qualifying berth at the North Coast Athletic Conference championships. In Decatur, Warner missed the finals but finished eighth in her flight with a throw of 124-2. The NCAA meet concluded an outstanding freshman campaign for Warner.
At the NCAC meet in May, Warner captured second place honors in both the shot put and the javelin throw. Earlier in the season, Warner took top honors in the javelin throw at the Mountain Laurel Invitational in Tennessee. With the win, Warner was also named that week's NCAC Field Events Performer of the Week.
At Wittenberg, Warner is also a member of the volleyball team, newspaper staff, Quill and Scroll and National Honor Society. The 2000 Clay High School graduate is majoring in psychology and is the daughter of Jerry Warner of Genoa and Karen Warner of Oregon.