Biola track and field was in Santa Barbara over the past weekend competing at the Golden State Athletic Conference Championships. Both the men and women scored more points at the meet this year than they had in any of the last ten. Finishing with 123 points, the women took home a strong fourth place finish, while the men finished seventh, just a half point behind sixth-place Concordia.

Leading the charge was junior Natasha Miller. She added two more individual titles to her growing resume, defending her high jump championship, clearing five feet, six inches. She also won the 100m hurdles with a personal best time of 14.19. Miller also finished second in the 400m with a personal best time of 56.93 and third in the 200m finishing in 25.24. Junior Kelsey Gasner was another key in the Eaglesí success on the womenís side. She started by winning the 3000m steeplechase on Friday. She then tallied a third place finish in the 800m with a time of 2:18.34 and a sixth place finish in the 1500m, finishing in 4:40.31.

For the men, sophomore Gabe Aeschliman had a solid performance, placing fourth in the 200m in 22.96 and seventh in the 400m finishing in 50.47. He was supported by personal best times by two long distance runners. Senior Kyle McNulty knocked 30 seconds off his previous best, finishing fifth in the 5000m finishing in 15:12.19, and freshman Spencer Lyle finished 11th in the event in 15:30.66, over 50 seconds under his personal best. In the field, junior thrower Juan Flores fnished fifth in the shot-put upped his personal record with a throw of 46 feet. And sophomore Ryan Hanson finished eighth in the high jump, leaping to 5-11.25.

Biola has two more meets for people to try to qualify for the NAIA National Championships in May. Seven women and eight men have already qualified. Those already qualified include, on the men’s side, junior Ryan Richert, senior Mike Morin, junior Carter Williams, Lyle, junior Evan Thibodeau and McNulty, all of whom in the marathon. Richert is also qualified in the 10,000m and McNulty in the 3000m steeplechase. Hanson is also qualified for nationals in the javelin, and sophomore Alex Calkins in the pole vault.

For the women, Miller is qualified in the heptathlon, 100 hurdles, high jump, long jump, 200m and 400m. Junior Sarah Brooks is qualified in the 5000m and 10,000m. Sophomore Jane Kerner will be competing in the 5000m, 10,000m and the 4x800m relay. On the 4×800 relay team with Kerner is Gasner, who will also run the 800m, 1500m, and the 3000m steeplechase, sophomore Nychele Fischetti, who will also run the 1500m and 3000m steeplechase, junior Katie Thede who will also run the 1500m, and sophomore Brooke Forsi.

The next meet for track and field is Saturday, May 1 in the Steve Scott Invitational at UC Irvine.