SAN JOSE, Calif. --- Biola's emphasis on community and its investment in the personal development of students were pivotal factors in Kelaiah Moore's decision to enroll at the university; she believes those values create an optimal college environment for her growth as a person and sprinter. 

"I wanted to choose a Christian school to grow in my faith, as well as a smaller institution to enable strong relationships with my instructors and peers," said Moore. "I am also excited to have specialized coaching because I love running and look forward to becoming the best athlete I can at Biola."

Moore will join the Eagles' sprint group and major in elementary education at Biola after excelling as a student and athlete at The King's Academy in Sunnyvale, California. Moore graduated this past June with High Honors after earning a 3.8 GPA and earning Honors Athlete recognition every semester she was eligible. 

Those academic distinctions were on top of Moore's impressive accomplishments over four years of varsity competition on the TKA girls' track & field team. The sprinter ran in the 100m hurdle finals for the CIF Central Coast Section Championships as a sophomore after qualifying for CIF prelims in the long jump and 100m hurdles. 

Then she set PR's in the 100m and 200m sprints at the same meet this past February, winning the 200m event at the Bellarmine T&F Invitational and posting the 84th-fastest 100m time in California during the shortened 2020 girls track & field season. 

Moore also earned First Team All-West Bay Athletic League recognition after her sophomore year and wrote her name all over her high school's girls' track record book. The personal-best time in the 100m hurdles that she ran at the CCS Finals is 1.79 seconds faster than the previous record that was set in 2008. And Moore also holds top-three efforts at The King's Academy in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and long jump in addition to her fifth-best time in the 400m dash. 

While Moore hopes that competing at Biola will help her continue to improve in her best events and create opportunities for encouraging relationships, she also plans to use her time in La Mirada to prepare for a career as a school teacher and counselor. 

More information on the rest of the student-athletes that will join Kelaiah Moore at Biola in 2020-21 can be found on the Committed Athletes page.