SAN DIEGO, Calif. --- Six runners from the Biola University men's track team punched their tickets early, qualifying for the 2011 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships in the marathon with a strong performance at the Silver Strand Half Marathon on Sunday.

It was the second-straight year six men's marathoners qualified for the championships at the meet. Eight men entered the race and six hit the qualifying standards. Senior Ryan Richert took top honors overall, winning the race with a time of 1:11:12.  Sophomore Spencer Lyle finished in 1:13:51 as both Lyle and Richert earned Automatic Qualifying status.

Junior Brian Aukshunas (1:14:02), senior Carter Williams (1:14:10), freshman Danny Ledesma (1:16:09), senior Evan Thibodeau (1:16:15) all earned provisional qualifying times.

“The guys were really well disciplined and focused today”, said Head Coach Jonathan Zimmerman. “This is the fourth year in a row Biola has had multiple qualifiers for the marathon at the nationals.”

Also competing for Biola were freshmen Kyle Norman (1:18:55) and Scott Weir (1:18:56).

The 60th Annual NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships will be held on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University on May 26-28, 2011. The full 26.2-mile marathon will be on Saturday morning, May 28th.