SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. --- It was a busy, busy day for Head Coach Sean Henning and his Biola Track & Field squad on Friday as he and a contingent of runners spent time up north competing at San Francisco State and Stanford.
 
Lyndee Dawson had the privilege of being invited to compete at the Stanford Invitational in the women's 3,000m steeplechase. She sure made the most of the experience by setting a new school record in the event with a 10:30.18. She finished seventh in her heat as the only non-NCAA Division I runner in the group.
 
"Lyndee ran really well at Stanford, running a personal best by 10 seconds and a new school record," said Henning. "She competed really well with the field and made that the focus of her race, not her time."
 
Her time broke Kelsey Gasner's six-year-old record by almost nine seconds.
 
While Dawson was doing that the rest of her team and coaching staff was back at San Francisco State for day one of the Gators' Distance Carnival.
 
The men's team sent a trio of guys into competition in the steeplechase at the distance carnival. The efforts of Brandon Berz and Gabe Plencio stood out in this event.
 
It was Plendcio's first time running the event and Berz' first time in about two years. Both men competed well and recorded solid times. Berz led the Eagles' pack with a 9:52 and Plendcio followed shortly behind with a 9:55. Berz and Brucbacher were in the same heat, while Plendcio was in a different one.
 
Robbie Gleeson was another noteworthy performer from the San Francisco meet. He set a new personal-best with a 4:02.79 in the 1,500m and finished ninth in his heat.
 
"Robbie continues to figure out how to race the 1500," said Henning. "He had a personal best, he but still needs to figure out how to race the last 400m of the race. If he figures that out, I have no doubts he will be close to a national qualifier."
 
On the women's side Emily Ransom stood out because she managed to hit the 'A' standard in the 5,000m. The sophomore finished right in the middle of her heat with a 17:33.04.
 
"She has slowly been rounding into form after a minor setback with an injury. This was a big confidence booster for her," said Henning.
 
She was not the only one to have success in the 5,000m. Jessica Cody also set a new personal-best in the event with an 18:37.10 as she continues to figure out the race early in her college career.
 
"She set another personal best in her third race of her collegiate career. She ran a little too aggressively in the beginning and it cost her, but if we can even out her pacing she will make a big jump," said Henning.
 
Finally, the women's 1,500m was another strong point for some Eagles. Alisa Murray had a strong race as she continues to push closer and closer to the national standards. Today she ran a 4:40.97, which was good enough for 40^th overall in a stacked field. She was the fastest of six Eagles in the event.
 
Shannon Howell was one of those other Eagles. She was competing in her first collegiate event and came just a second shy of winning her heat, finishing third in the pack. She ran a 4:52.36.
 
The Eagles will return to the normalcy of having just one meet their next time out. Next Saturday coach Henning and the squad travel to Pomona-Pitzer for the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational.