Saturday marked a stellar day on the track for the Eagles as they finished the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Indoor Track & Field Championships in triumphant fashion. The third and final day featured Biola athletes receiving five total All-American honors in the women’s 3,000m and women’s 4,000m distance medley relay.
Senior Lyndee Dawson had the best day of any Biola athlete, winning All-American honors in both events she ran. In the women’s 3,000m, her second-place time of 9:48.41 set a new personal record and earned her her first All-American honors of the day. Improving on her qualifying efforts from Friday, Dawson made the most of her finals run, finishing the highest out of any Biola athlete, men’s or women’s, through the entire event.
Dawson also received All-American honors in the women’s 4,000m DMR later Saturday afternoon. The team of Dawson, freshman Carissa Kalpakjian, senior Alisa Murray, and junior Hannah Hunsaker finished fourth in the final with a time of 12:03.89. Despite missing the podium, the team earned All-American honors and improved both their preliminary time and finishing position.
Sophomore Ryan Thompson appeared in his second consecutive NAIA Indoor Championships but failed to make a big impact. Finishing 15th in the men’s 5,000m race with a time of 15:53.37, Biola’s lone male representative at the meet gathered national experience.
Biola’s track and field season continues Friday, March 10 with a meet at Occidental College.