AZUSA, Calif. — Freshman Natasha Miller won two individual titles while Brian Ball took home one to pace the Biola University track and field teams at the GSAC Championships on Friday and Saturday at Azusa Pacific University.
The women's team placed fifth overall team competition while the men finished in seventh.
Miller was the star for Biola at the championships and was quite busy during her two days in Azusa. She took home the individual titles in the 400 meter hurdles, with an NAIA Automatic Qualifying time of 1:04.16, and in the high jump with a leap of 1.68m (5-6) on her final jump of the day to win that event.
Miller also placed third in the 100m hurdles in 14.66 seconds, fourth in the triple jump with a distance of 11.37m (37-3.75), sixth in the 100m dash in 13 seconds flat after qualifying in 12.72 seconds, and also took seventh in the long jump at 5.29m (17-4.25).
Biola also had a strong showing in the distance events led by sophomore Kristin Schmidt, who placed third in the 10,000m run with a time of 38:39.21, good enough for a provisional qualifiying time. Schmidt also took seventh in the 800m run (2:33.33) and was ninth in the 1,500m run (5:07.89).
Freshman Erika Perez scored in two different events, placing second in the 3,000m steeplechase in 11:51.75 and taking seventh in the 1,500m run in 4:59.52. Junior Danielle Gomes also placed high in the steeplechase, running a time of 12:46.45 for fourth overall.
Senior Anna Thibodo was Biola's lone entry in the 5,000m run, but finished fourth overall with a time of 19:36.90.
Freshmen Kim Arroues and Sarah Brooks scored points for the Eagles in the 10,000m run with times of 40:19.29 and 40:36.71 to finish seventh and eighth, respectively.
Freshman Connie Anderson rounded out the Biola individual point scorers wih a sixth place finish in the 400m hurdles, crossing the line in 1:07.97.
Brian Ball placed in the top six in two events for the Eagles' men's team, taking first in the 3,000m steeplechase with an impressive 9:17.72. He was just four seconds off his season-best time which ranks him fourth in the NAIA this season.
Ball also finished in sixth place in the 1,500m run, winning his preliminary heat and running a 4:03.53 in the finals.
Junior Jared Bird was Biola's only other distance entry and he ran well, taking sixth place in the 10,000m run in a time of 33:39.83.
Sophomore TJ Ellis rounded out the men's contingent with an eighth place finish in the decathlon.
Biola now begins final preparations for the 2008 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 22-24 in Johnson City, Tenn.
