Merriman and Pierce Named Regional Outdoor Athletes of the Year – Ohio State Buckeyes
5/26/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Track & Field
May 26, 2000
%^$COLUMBUS, Ohio–Ohio State track and field standouts Donica Merriman (Jr., Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood Madison) and Andrew Pierce (Jr., Yellow Springs, Ohio/Yellow Springs) were each named the Great Lakes Region’s 2000 Outdoor Track and Field Regional Athletes of the Year, the United States Track Coaches Association and Mondo Surfacing announced today. A total of nine male and nine female athletes were honored, and all 18 will be considered for the national athlete of the year awards which will be announced in conjunction with the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, May 31-June 3 in Durham, N.C.%^$
%^$Yesterday Merriman and Pierce were both honored as the Big Ten Track and Field Athlete of the Year, after each receieved Outstanding Performer of the 2000 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships accolades. Merriman also was the Outstanding Performer at the conference’s indoor championships.%^$
%^$Merriman and Pierce currently hold times ranking them in the Top 3 around the nation. Merriman’s fastest time this season in the 100-meter hurdles came on April 29 at the Penn Relays when she won the event with the world’s second fastest time this season, 12.70.%^$
%^$”It was a great honor for our athletes because there are a lot of oustanding athletes in our region,” head coach Russ Rogers said. “In order to win this award you have to be exceptional. Merriman and Pierce have been very good and have performed well all year, especially at big meets. I know they’ll perform well at the NCAA Championships because they have been in big competitions all season long.”%^$
%^$Throughout the outdoor season, Pierce was named Big Ten Athlete of the Week once and Merriman twice.%^$
%^$Merriman led the Buckeyes to a third-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, the highest finish in Ohio State history. She won three events: the 100-meter hurdles (12.89, NCAA Automatic Qualifying), 100-meter dash (11.35, NCAA Provisional Qualifying), in which she also tied the school record set by Nicole Carmichael on May 24, 1997, and the 200-meter dash (23.32, NCAA Provisional Qualifying). She also anchored the winning 4×400-meter relay team (3:37.24, NCAA Provisional Qualifying) and the third-place 4×100-meter relay team (44.76, NCAA Provisional Qualifying).%^$
%^$At the Big Ten Championships, Pierce won the 400-meter dash with a time of 44.87, breaking the meet record set in 1987 by Butch Reynolds (Ohio State), 45.00. He also anchored the first-place 4×400-meter relay team (3:05.80). He ran his fastest time of the season in the 200, 20.95, earning second-place.%^$
%^$Merriman and Pierce have both automatically qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships in Durham, N.C., May 31-June 3. Merriman will compete in the 100-meter dash and the 100-meter hurdles, while Pierce will race in the 400-meter run.
