MENTOR, Ohio --- The NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships got underway on Thursday, and Biola runners got the ball rolling in the right direction with some gritty performances that ultimately led to two new school records and another personal-best.
 
Biola sent a full women's contingent to the national meet in hopes of improving on its sixth place finish in 2013. It will not be easy, as the Eagles face a very challenging group of opposing schools, and a challenging schedule of events over the next three days.
 
"It is a very challenging set of heats and races today and over the next two days," said Head Coach Jonathan Zimmerman. "Our kids were so tough today it was unbelievable. There was great character, huge effort and a lot of hurt in their racing."
 
The women's 4x400m relay team smashed the previous school record of 4:12.33 by running a 4:05.80 and finishing in 21^st place. Kate Smiley, Kathleen Bell, Megan Ransom and Bethany Smith are each a part of their first Biola Indoor Track & Field school record.
 
The other broken record came by a slightly slimmer margin in the men's distance medley relay. Danny Ledesma, Kevin Horchler, James McCahon and Shane Brinson ran a 10:11.86 in a 13^th place finish to set a new school record by about five seconds.
 
That relay team will be Biola's only competition on the men's side, outside of two individual events that Ledesma is participating in.
 
Biola also ran a DMR team in the women's competition. They pushed to a 12:11.36 to finish 10^th in the prelims.
 
Carrie Soholt is doing her part to keep Biola competing near the top of the field. She ran the fourth-fastest qualifying time in the 5,000m race, coming in at a new personal-best, 17:31.95.
 
"This is a very competitive meet and we are holding our own," said Zimmerman.
 
For the fifth consecutive season the Eagles' women's team has a chance to win the 4x800m relay title. Alexandra Sciarra, Anika Gasner, Lyndee Dawson and Alicia Hoverson ran the third-quickest time of the day to get a spot in the finals again. Sciarra was a part of the record-setting 4x800m team from 2012 and is looking to bring this team to the same record-setting level in the finals tomorrow afternoon.
 
Tomorrow's competition brings a nice mix of sprint and distance events, including: the mile, 60m hurdles, 400m, 600m and much more.
 
Follow all live updates on Twitter @BiolaAthletics and get full results each day at this link.