SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- Nine short months after ending the 2016 season with plenty of accolades at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala. Biola Track & Field is back at it eager for a new season in 2017.
 
The Eagles began their slated competition on Saturday at the Sunshine Indoor Open hosted by Westmont College. It is the third year in a row that Biola's season began on this track.
 
Four individuals and one relay hit NAIA National Championship qualifying times during the opening weekend, and one school record fell as Ambernicole Hollinger set a new bar in the shot put.
 
"Today was a good start to the season. I think at a meet so early in the year, you always expect some rust to be there," said Head Coach Sean Henning. "We had some very good performances and efforts today. We also had some performances that will serve as great learning opportunities for our student-athletes as they continue throughout the season."
 
The biggest highlight of this first day of competition had to be Hollinger's record-breaking toss. The junior finished third in the event and reached a mark of 12.35m, which is an improvement by nearly a full meter over the old mark of 11.56m set back in 2013.
 
"We were very happy with that as it was a total breakthrough for her," said Henning. "We were very proud of her effort today. Credit to our throws coach Dave Hogan for doing such a great job mentoring her in the event."
 
Biola's women's team, which is the NAIA's reigning program of the year, got off to a great start by having a relay and three individuals hit their qualifying standards right away.
 
The Eagles' Distance Medley Relay (DMR) won their race and hit the national 'A' standard with a 12:26 flat. The time was almost 20 seconds faster than the second-place team from Westmont, which bodes well as the two teams will likely duke it out for another Golden State Athletic Conference crown later this year. Lyndee Dawson led off the relay and was joined by McKenna Boen, Hannah Hunsaker and Emily Ransom.
 
Dawson, Ransom and Hunsaker each earned individual qualifications as well. Hunsaker hit a 'B' standard en route to winning the 1,000m with a time of 3:01.67. Dawson and Ransom finished second and third in the 3,000m and both earned 'A' standards with 10:15.07 and 10:15.11, respectively. Courtney Moore of Fresno Pacific owned that event with an impressive 9:58.98.
 
Ashley Otah, in her first year with the Eagles, nearly qualified in the heptathlon but ended up coming up just short after the 800m. She will have a few more chances to hit the mark as the season rolls along and will be happy with a strong start.
 
On the guys side Ryan Thompson was the only one to hit a qualifying time. The sophomore standout made the 'B' standard in the 5,000m and picked up a win with a 15:08.10. It was his only event of the day.
 
The Eagles are in action next at the SOKA Invitational next Saturday in Aliso Viejo.