MARIETTA, Ohio — Marietta College track & field will work hard to continue its ascent up the Ohio Athletic Conference standings in 2010. Led by seventh-year Head Coach Derek Stanley, the Pioneers expect the return of 27 letterwinners and a roster of nearly 70 student-athletes when the season picks up in full swing this January.

The Pioneers return 8-of-14 All-OAC performers from the 2009 OAC Indoor Championships, where the women took fourth with 91 points and the men placed sixth with 46.5 points. In addition, 11-of-17 All-Conference award winners are back from the 2009 OAC Outdoor Championships, where the women finished fifth with 82 points and the men were sixth with 60 points.

Marietta's most decorated returner is sophomore All-America sprinter Jayshon Irvin (Vero Beach, Fla., Sebastian River). Irvin finished runner-up in the 55m dash at the 2009 OAC Indoor Championship and then swept both the 100m and 200m dashes en route to being named the Most Outstanding Sprinter of the 2009 OAC Outdoor Championship. He went on to place sixth in the 100m dash at the 2009 NCAA Division III Outdoor Championship, which was held at Marietta College.

Irvin will anchor a corps of sprinters that also features junior Matt Hickman (St. Mary's, W.Va., St. Mary's), junior Anthony Williams (Columbus, Bishop Hartley) and sophomore Rodney Endicott (Lavelette, W.Va., Wayne), who collectively placed third and earned All-OAC honors in the 4x200m relay at the indoor championship. Hickman went on to garner All-OAC honors outdoors in the 100m dash, while Williams teamed with senior Cody Thomas (North Olmsted, North Olmsted), sophomore Josh Bibb (Marietta, Marietta) and sophomore Chase Oberfield (Heath/Heath) to receive All-OAC honors in the outdoor 4x400m Relay. Thomas also took home All-OAC honors as an individual by placing runner-up in the outdoor 800m run.

Fifth-year senior Derek Carpenter (Belpre, Belpre), who missed last season with an injury, and senior Chad Byers (New Matamoras, River) will lead Marietta's throwers in 2010. Carpenter won the hammer throw in both 2007 and 2008 and finished runner-up in the weight throw in 2008. Byers is the 2008 javelin champion and will be focusing on discus and 400m hurdles this season.

Marietta's distance team will look to translate its success in cross country to the track in 2010. Senior Josh Mickle (Madison, Madison) and Thomas will pace the squad's middle distance runners, while senior Michael Siringer (Willowick, Willoughby South) will lead the long distance runners this season.

The incoming freshman class could be a determining factor in the Pioneer's success as they introduce a number of high quality recruits. Caleb Muller (Columbus, Bexley) and Caleb Ellis (St. Albans, W.Va., St. Albans) are coming off a strong freshman cross country season after earning the opportunity to compete in their respective state championships the previous track & field/cross country season. Willam McCulloch (Nelsonville, York) represented his high school in the 100m dash at the Ohio state championship, as did Cody Strahler (Waterford, Waterford) in the 800m run.

Marietta women return three NCAA provisional qualifiers in sophomore pole vaulter Kim Keesler (Chagrin Falls, Chagrin Falls) and sophomore 4x400m Relay members Corryn Muench (Cold Spring, Ky., Newport Central Catholic) and Brittany Sims (Columbus, Eastmoor Academy). Sims was also a provisional qualifier in the 400m hurdles an event she will focus on this 2010 season. Muench and Sims teamed with senior Christi Tims (Olmsted Township, Olmsted Falls) to earn All-OAC honors in both the indoor 4x200m and 4x400m relays. Muench and Tims also earned All-OAC honors in the outdoor 4x400m relay.

Sophomore Ashley Bault (Atwater, Waterloo), who earned All-OAC recognition in the outdoor triple jump, will lead the group of jumpers. She is the only returning 100+ point scorer for the women's team and the only freshman to accomplish the feat. Junior Stephanie Hammond (Toledo, Central Catholic), who received All-OAC honors in the Weight Throw, anchors the throwers, while junior Olivia Holiday (Malta, Morgan), the 2008 OAC runner-up and 2009 All-Ohio champion in the outdoor pole vault, also returns to join Keesler in that event.

Senior Brenda Puckett (Eaton, Preble Shawnee) and senior Logan Wern (North Canton, Hoover) also return as members of the outdoor 4x800m relay, which earned All-OAC honors last season. Sophomore Jennifer Emmert (Martinsburg, W.Va., Martinsburg), senior Shannon McDonald (Lorain, Amherst Steele) and senior Stephanie Williams (Vincent, Warren Local) will provide a solid nucleus of experienced distance runners for Marietta.

The women's team will look to a group of freshman to make an immediate impact, including Jacci Weaver (North Lima, South Range), an Ohio state qualifier in the shot put and discus.

The Pioneers have open home indoor meets scheduled for Jan. 16, Jan. 23 and Feb. 5. Marietta will also compete at the OAC Relays at Baldwin-Wallace on Jan. 30 and the All-Ohio Championship at Otterbein on Feb. 13. In addition, the Pioneers will participate in the Mount Union Invitational on Feb. 20 before hosting the OAC Indoor Championships inside the Dyson Baudo Recreation Center Feb. 26-27.

Outdoors, Marietta will once again compete at Coastal Carolina (March 12-13) and Wake Forest (March 19-20) over spring break and then at Cedarville on March 27. The middle portion of the Pioneers' schedule is all home meets. Marietta will be the site of the OAC Gold Meet on April 3, the Don Frail Invitational on April 10 and the Marietta/Muskingum Dual on April 13. The All-Ohio Championship is at Ohio Wesleyan on April 17. Robert Morris University will host an invitational on April 24 and then the OAC Outdoor Championships are at Mount Union on April 30-May 1.