MARION, Ind. --- Junior Natasha Miller opened up a lead in her heptathlon title defense and junior Kelsey Gasner ran a blistering time to qualify for the finals of the steeplechase as Biola opened up the 2010 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships on Thursday at the Outdoor Track Complex on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University.

Miller, the defending NAIA Champion in the heptathlon, began her title defense with a strong showing in the first four events contested on Thursday. She finished the day with 3,280 points, leading the field by 117 points overall.

Miller broke a personal best with a time of 14.02 in the 100m hurdles to start the day, placing second overall in the event. She then cleared 5-8 ¾ in the high jump, beating the closest competitor by over four inches to take the overall lead. After placing 14th in the shot put, Miller closed out the day with a strong finish in the 200, placing second in a time of 25.02.

In the midst of the heptathlon competition, Miller also managed to qualify for the finals in the 100m hurdles, winning her heat in a time of 14.08. 

On Friday, Miller will close out the heptathlon with the long jump, javelin and the 800m and also run the 100m hurdles semifinals and finals. 

Gasner continued to impress with a second place finish in her qualifying heat of the 3,000m steeplechase on Thursday night. Gasner, who had been battling an injury prior to the championships, finished in 11:17.45, the fifth-best qualifying time in the event. The finals of the steeplechase will be contested on Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore Nychele Fischetti also too part in the steeplechase, finishing 20th overall with a time of 11:37.68. Both Fischetti and Gasner joined sophomore Brooke Forsi and junior #Katie Thede# as part of the Biola 4x800m relay team which placed 15th out of 30 teams in 11:17.45 earlier in the day.

In the men's steeplechase, senior Kyle McNulty placed 27th overall in his final collegiate race, crossing the line in 9:50.96.

Biola had two runners in the women's 10,000m event. Junior Sarah Brooks placed 18th overall in a time of 39:00.72 while sophomore Jane Kerner finished 31st in 40:07.41.

Junior Ryan Hanson fought off an elbow injury to finish 22nd overall in the javelin, mustering a throw of 137-6 to round out the Biola contingent on Thursday.

Biola has a trio of competitors--Thede, Kerner and junior Sarah Brooks--in the women's 5,000m semifinal on Friday night to go along with Miller's finals in the heptathlon and the 100m.