ON THIS DATE (4/2) in DC Athletics

DEFIANCE, Ohio – On this date, April 2, in Defiance College athletics history, several teams have won games or matches and individual members of the track-and-field programs have captured titles in recent years.

The Defiance men's tennis squad had impressive showings with shutout victories at home in both 2013 and 2014. After blanking Central State University, 7-0, the Yellow Jackets followed 12 months later with a 9-0 triumph over Manchester University in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference match.

Against NCAA Division II member Central State seven years ago, Ryan Nelson, Cord Speelman, Craig Bills and Justin Walker all claimed wins in both singles and doubles. A year later versus Manchester, Mike Ross, Nelson, Speelman, James DeMeo, Walker and Tory Savage were victorious in singles and doubles.

Also on campus in 2013, the DC baseball team unleashed a 17-hit attack, including eight extra-base hits, in a 14-8 home win over HCAC rival Bluffton University. Defiance had many players contribute at the plate, including Ben Weber (3 for 5, double, triple, four RBIs, two runs scored), Ryan Kohlhofer (3 for 5, double, four RBIs, run), Andy Habecker (3 for 4, double, walk, two runs), Gary Levengood (2 for 5, double, three runs),  Jonathan Murphy (2 for 4, double, two runs, RBI), Chris Donese (2 for 4, run) and Darin Waterman (home run, walk, two RBIs). Aaron Patterson pitched eight innings for the victory, allowing two earned runs with three strikeouts and no walks.

The DC men's and women's track and field squads hosted the Yellow Jacket Open in 2010 with the ladies placing second among six teams, falling only to NCAA Division II Tiffin University. The women came away with first-place finishes by Kristin Goldstein in the 100-meter dash (13.71), Shavonda Price in the 200-meter dash (27.36) and Katie Heitkamp in the pole vault (2.97 meters) while the quartet of Marlea Rolander, Ashlyn Howell, Courtney Swabb and Goldstein combined for a championship in the 4x100-meter relay (51.96). On the men's side in the javelin throw, Austin Trivett easily came out on top among 18 competitors with a personal-record toss of 49.12 meters.

Also on the second day of April, Defiance's baseball and softball teams have won games, splitting doubleheaders, over the past few seasons. In baseball, the Yellow Jackets split at Bluffton last year and with HCAC opponent Transylvania University in both 2016 and 2017. On the softball field, DC posted victories over Oberlin College in 2017 and conference foe Franklin College in 2010 that were a part of twinbills.

Do you recall these tremendous Defiance athletic feats? If you remember any historic moments (i.e. records broken, milestone victories, great team or individual performances) that took place in the month of April, please feel free to contact DC sports information director Steve Ruthsatz at sruthsatz@defiance.edu.