DAY ONE RESULTS

EVANSVILLE, Ill. --- Biola opened the 2009 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships with strong performances throughout the day Thursday at Ralph Korte Stadium in Edwardsville, Ill. 

The Eagles, who sent a contingent of nine to the championships--eight women and one man, broke four school records and saw a number of personal records fall over the course of the first day.

In the women's heptathlon, sophomore Natasha Miller jumped out to an impressive 236-point lead by winning the high jump and 200-meter dash and taking second in the 100-meter hurdles. Miller, who had the best high jump in the NAIA this season, bettered her own mark by winning the event. The sophomore, who stands at just 5-9, cleared 1.80 meters (5-feet, 10.75 inches) to earn 978 points in the event.

In the first event of the day, Miller took second in the 100 hurdles with a time of 14.45, missing out on first by just .07 seconds. After taking seventh in the shot put, Miller rounded out the day with an impressive performance in the 200-meters, breaking the school record with a time of 25.20. She finished the first day of the two-day competition with a total of 3,275 points. 

Miller, who won the indoor pentathlon back in March, looks to hang on to her lead on Friday as the competition wraps up with the long jump, javelin throw and 800 meter run. 

Biola's women's team had a great showing in the 4x800m prelims. The quartet Katie Thede, Nychelle Fischetti, Carissa Bowman and Kelsey Gasner shattering the old school record in the event by over 32 seconds. The Eagles crossed the line in 9:13.72, earning a trip to the finals on Friday with the fifth-best time overall. 

In the steeplechase, Fischetti and Erika Perez reached the finals of the event, each placing seventh in their respective preliminary heats. Fishetti finished in a time of 11:19.83 while Perez crossed in 11:23.63. 

Senior Erin Hobson continued her great season in the pole vault, taking 15th overall by clearing 3.50m (11-5.75 feet). Hobson had a good attempt at 12 feet which would have "vaulted" her into third place, but just barely clipped the bar on the way down.

Rounding out the day one competitors was sophomore Sarah Brooks, who took 14th overall in the 10,000m run with a personal best time of 38:30.94. Brooks dropped 45 seconds off her best time of the season year. In addition, her 5,000m split of 18:57 was her 5k personal best.

On day two, Miller will open the day looking to win the heptathlon title beginning at 10:30 a.m. (CST). She will also compete in the triple jump at 5:00 p.m., an event which she is seeded third in. At 6:00 p.m., the Eagles 4x800m relay team will compete in the finals of events.