Avon graduate Dan Smith earned All-Region honors with a 21st place finish, leading Ohio Northern at the 2011 NCAA Division III Great Lakes Men’s Cross Country Regional Championships at Oberlin on Saturday.

The Polar Bears finished 10th out of 35 teams with 280 points and end their season with a 103-33 record.

Smith finished the 8,000-meter course in 25:43, earning him All-Region honors with a top-35 finish in the 243-man field.

No. 4-ranked Calvin (Mich.) won the team title with 38 points, No. 22 Wabash (Ind.) was second with 100 points, No.35 Manchester (Ind.) was third with 197 points and Ohio Wesleyan was fourth with 201 points.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Avon's Dan Smith, a junior, was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week, while running cross country at Ohio Northern.


Smith led the Polar Bears to a fourth-place finish at the Calvin College Knight Invite. ONU outran 11 other teams, including OAC rival Baldwin Wallace.

In the 8,000-meter race, the junior placed 14th in a quick 26:16. Smith narrowly beat out senior Jacob Schoelien, whose 26:17 time was good for 16th place.

swalker@MorningJournal.com

Avon's Dan Smith was named the Ohio Athletic Conference Track Athlete of the Week for the week this week for the second-straight week.


Smith earned the award for his record-breaking performance at the Northwest Ohio Invitational hosted by Findlay on Friday.

In the 3,000-meter run, Smith came in first place and set a new Ohio Northern record with a time of 8:46.80.


Smith also easily qualified for the OAC Championship meet by running under the OAC A Standard of 9:04.49.

In addition to having Northern's fastest time in the 3,000-meter run this season, Smith also has turned in the fastest Polar Bear time in the mile run at 4:22.53.

Ohio Northern will compete again on Saturday when it travels to Baldwin-Wallace for the OAC Relays.

swalker@MorningJournal.com