REDLANDS, Calif. --- Biola returned to the track and added to its impressive total of NAIA qualifying marks on Friday at the University of Redlands Invitational.

The meet was a display of the depth the team is building as evidenced by particularly strong performances during the field events.

Sophomores Ryan Hanson and Naomi Sornoso coupled with junior Juan Flores opened the meet with solid showings in the shot put, discus, javelin and hammer throw. Hanson won the javelin throw with a mark of 56.59 meters, establishing a provisional qualifying mark for the national championships. Sornoso won the discus with a mark of 35.75 and was second place in the shot put with a 10.46 meter throw. Flores was busy throughout the meet, placing 5th in the shot put, 6th in the discus, and 15th in the hammer throw.

Freshman Allie Zalesky and juniors Connie Anderson and Kesslyn Martin were also busy throughout the day with jumping, sprinting, throwing and hurdling events. The trio of athletes competed in a combined total of seventeen events on the day.

Zalesky placed fifth in the long jump with a 4.89 meter leap and led the Biola squad with a fourth place finish in the 100 hurdles with a time of 17.02. Anderson ran the grueling 400 meter hurdle race in 1:09.81 seconds, good for fifth place overall. Martin lead the Eagle women in the javelin throw with a 29.92 meter mark, earning her fifth place.

The Eagles continued to scorch the track once the distance events began. Junior Mark Weller again broke the two minute barrier in the 800-meter run, clocking a 1:59 for a fifth place finish.

Fresh off of his first-ever NAIA Indoor National Championship, senior Kirk Carlson finished second in the 1500 meter run with a time of 4:07. Followed closely behind in third place was freshman Spencer Lyle who ran a 4:13. However, they had little time to rest as they returned to the track a mere hour and a half later in the 5,000 meter run.

Joining Carlson and Lyle for the 5,000 meter were juniors Ryan Richert and Evan Thibodeau, senior Mike Morin, and freshman Joseph Harabedian. Richert lead the squad with a 15:40, followed by Carlson with a 16:05 and Morin with a 16:15. Both Carlson and Morin set lifetime personal bests in the event. Lyle crossed the line in a 16:17, followed by Thibodeau in 17:05 and Harabedian with a 17:12. The distance men combined to claim six of the top eight spots in the race.

Not to be outdone, a portion of the Biola women's distance squad turned out solid performance times. Freshman Rachel Stump finished the 1500 meter run with a 5:07 and a third place finish. Sophomore teammates Clarissa Kenney and Katie Sikkelee followed with a 5:16 and 5:29 respectively. Both Stump and Sikkelee executed the tough “distance double” in the meet, returning later to the track to complete the 5,000 meter run.

The Eagles hope to continue to keep the momentum rolling as they head to the Westmont Quad Meet next week Saturday, March 28th in Santa Barbara. The Eagles will be one of four teams to inaugurate the newly constructed track and field complex at Westmont, ultimately returning four weeks later to compete in the 2010 GSAC Championships.