FINDLAY, Ohio -- Notre Dame competed at the University of Findlay-hosted Division-II Challenge on Saturday, and the Falcon men and women placed 18th and 14th, respectively. (Results)

On the men's side, the NDC effort was highlighted by the 4x400 Meter Relay (Tolliver-Leyland-Gay-Sheffey), which placed sixth with a final time of 3:27.26.

The Notre Dame women earned four Top-10s - #Shawnta Davis# (ninth, 400 Meter Run), #Noelle Johnson# (sixth, Triple Jump), #Samantha Murphy# (eighth, Shot Put) and #Tiffany Tucker# (sixth, 60 Meter High Hurdles).

Just a handful of Falcon athletes competed in the event, which included 20 men's teams and 19 women's teams.

“Overall, it was a great day for our athletes to compete against some high-powered competition,” said NDC Head Coach #Ricardo Franklin#. “This meet will be a stepping stone for us, both for the All-Ohio meet next week and beyond.”

Lincoln (Mo.) swept the men's and women's titles at the D-II Challenge, scoring 94 team points in the men's events and a whopping 167 in the women's.

Notre Dame will be back in action next weekend, when the Falcons travel to Bowling Green, Ohio, to compete in the All-Ohio Championships. That meet will be contested over Friday and Saturday, Feb. 12-13.


NOTES FROM THE NEST …

TOP SHEFF: Junior speedster #Demar Sheffey# had productive day in Findlay on Saturday. In addition to anchoring the men's sixth-place 4x400 relay effort, the Euclid, Ohio, native also ran a personal-best 22.70-second time in the 200.

A DOSE OF THE DEUCE: Notre Dame competed in a field of mostly D-II programs on Saturday. NDC Athletic teams are competing as Year-One Candidates in the NCAA-II application process in 2009-10.