Some Remarks from Coach Kindler: "What a great weekend for track and field, we traveled into Fayette, Mo Friday afternoon with some cold and damp conditions for the 2008 HAAC Conference championships. Day one went just about as scripted for both teams with the women setting 3rd place, which was our pre meet ranking and the men were sitting 5th, one spot ahead of pre meet rankings. Day two was a completely different day. With the first real track weather day that we have had this year the wildcat team took advantage of it."
"We had to fight and battle for every point we could and in the end it came down to the 4 x 400m race to determine the difference for 3rd and 4th place. Heading into the second to last event, we were down by five points behind Central Methodist with the 5K and the 4 x 400m left. To have a chance at getting third overall we had to score points in the 5000m race. With scoring the top 8 per event, we new that central Methodist 4 x 400 team is ranked 5 coming in and we are ranked 4th. Arnold Sirorei ran a terrific 5k, after placing 6th in the 10k the night before with the 2nd best All Time mark for Baker, placed 7th in the 5000m race and scored 2 points so we knew we had to score 3 points more than Central Methodist to place 3rd overall. Our men's 4 x 400m team, consisting on Matthew James, Tanner Gleason, Trevor Gleason (not normally on the team but insisted that he would step up to the occasion and ran a lifetime best mark), and Aaron Hannon. Needless to say, we ran a seasons best by almost 10 seconds, place 3rd, three places in front of Central Methodist and ended up tying for 3rd with a total of 104 points. It was one of the most exciting moments that I have been associated with in track and field. 3rd place for the men, of course is not winning the meet but realizing that the men's team placed 6th at the indoor conference meet. This was quiet an accomplishment for the men." Other notable marks from the team are:
Men's 100m
Kome Okiomah - 2nd - Richie Bryant - 3rd
Kome Okiomah - 200m - 21.89 - 3rd Best All-time at Baker
Men's Hurdles
110H Aaron Hannon - 4th - Zach Azenti - 6th
400H Aaron Hannon - 1st - Matthew James - 2nd
Men's 4 x 100 - 2nd - 41.92 - New School Record
Men's Long Jump
Richie Bryant - 7.18m - 1st - 3rd All-time at Baker - 4th on the NAIA National List
"Aaron Hannon was also named the high men's points scorer on the men's side for the meet. Aaron scored in the 110H, 400H, Long Jump, High Jump, 4x100, and 4x400. Not to bad for his first outdoor conference meet."
"I was also named the women's conference coach of the year as selected by the head coaches during the meet. I guess they were giving me a welcome to the conference present."
"Overall it was a great weekend for Baker University and I would like to thank my two coaches that made it possible, Coach Mackie Valentin and Coach Brent Randle. Also I would like to thank all of the parents, friends, and fans that were at the meet supporting the Wildcats, it was great to see so much Baker Orange. This meet wraps up the season for most of the team but there are still a large number training for the national meet at the end of May. I would like to thanks everybody again for all the support for the Baker Track and Field team and all Wildcat Athletics. Go Cats!!!"
Baker Men's Outlook
The 2008 men’s track and field team looks to continue to move up in the conference under the direction of new head coach Zach Kindler. The men’s team will consist of 12 returners and 12 newcomers. The key to success will come from the returners and their ability to lead the underclassmen.
Some of the key returnees are Matthew James, national qualifier in the 400-meter hurdles; Richie Bryant, national qualifier in the indoor 60-meter dash, indoor long jump and outdoor 100; Kome Okiomah, school record holder in the indoor 55, 60 and 200 before suffering a season-ending hamstring injury. In addition to these three, sophomore Aaron Hannon will look to increase his record point total in the indoor heptathlon and look to break the record in the outdoor decathlon.
With a very young team, the men will look at the incoming class to score a lot of points and help place high in the conference. One of the top newcomers is Kansas State transfer Arnold Sirorei.
The Wildcats look to improve their team standing in the HAAC after placing seventh last year. Several individuals should be able to do well and qualify for the indoor and outdoor national meet.
Coach Kindler and his staff are excited to get the season started and look for a very successful year.
WOMEN TAKE 3rd & MEN TAKE 6th
The Men and Women's track and field teams traveled to Lamoni, IA last weekend for their indoor conference championships. Coach Kindler was very pleased with the outcome of the meet with the ladies doing very well placing 3rd and the men placing 6th. Baker was ranked 4th and 7th going into the meet so it was a very exciting meet. Coach Kindler had this to say afterwards:
Our top performers on the women’s side came from both Chelsey Ornburn and Ashlee Miller (pictured). Chelsey was our only conference champion which was determined by misses between her teammate Kayla Irwin. Chelsey is now a 3 time conference champion in the women’s pole vault. She also ran the 400 for the 3rd place women’s distance medley relay team. Ashlee Miller’s weekend consisted of becoming All-Conference in 4 events and placing in the top 8 in 5.
200-3rd place
Long Jump-3rd place
High Jump-3rd place
4x800-3rd place
55 hurdles-7th place
Our top performer on the men’s side came from Aaron Hannon who placed 3rd in the Heptathlon and tied for 5th with fellow teammate Zach Atzeni in the 55 hurdles. Other top performances on the men’s side were Richie Bryant 2nd in the long jump and getting knocked out of 1st position on the very last jump and the men’s 4x400 team placing 2nd which consisted of Matthew James, Aaron Hannon, Leland Lindsey, and Tanner Gleason. The men’s team was in a 6th place tie between three schools coming down to the very last event with the 4x400 and the men’s team got it done by placing 2nd and the team end up 6th. Very exciting finish.
Our focus is now shifted for most towards outdoor track but we have 10 national qualifiers who will compete at Johnson City, TN March 6-8th at the NAIA Indoor National Championships. Thanks again for all the support for the track and field program and for all Baker Athletics. GO CATS!!!
5 School Records and 5 National Qualifying Marks
The track and field teams have had a very successful last two weeks with a number of great performances during the early portion of our season. 5 indoor school records were set by:
Ashlee Miller- Long Jump-18-00.25
Ashlee Miller- 200m-26.21
Kome Okiomah- 200m-22.32
Katey Wegemer- 600y-1:31.83
Women 4 X 400- 4:08.21
Along with the school records, we had five NAIA Indoor National Qualifying Marks:
Ashlee Miller- Long Jump-18-00.25
Ashlee Miller- 200m-26.21
Chelsey Ornburn- Pole Vault
Women 4 X 400- 4:08.21
Kome Okiomah- 55m-6.47
"We also had two individuals move into the second best all-time marks for Baker University with Aaron Hannon in the 200 and Jackie Koch in the weight throw. I am very pleased with the way that all of our athletes are progressing through the season to this point and look forward to the rest of the season. Our next meet we will be traveling to Graceland University for a mini meet which only a select few athletes will be attending. It has been great seeing a lot of Baker University fans and parents at the meets and thanks again for all the support for all of the Wildcats Athletics. Go Cats!!"
Our top performers on the women’s side came from both Chelsey Ornburn and Ashlee Miller (pictured). Chelsey was our only conference champion which was determined by misses between her teammate Kayla Irwin. Chelsey is now a 3 time conference champion in the women’s pole vault. She also ran the 400 for the 3rd place women’s distance medley relay team. Ashlee Miller’s weekend consisted of becoming All-Conference in 4 events and placing in the top 8 in 5. 
