Biola track and field returned to action in Santa Barbara, Calif. for their final meet of the season before they send athletes to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national championships. Westmont College hosted the All on the Line Qualifier on May 13, giving the Eagles one more chance to prepare for nationals on May 25-27.
A select amount of Biola track and field athletes traveled to Westmont as the whole team did not compete in the small event. Several athletes placed on the podium and qualified for nationals in several events. The women’s 4×800 meter relay team, made up of juniors Hannah Hunsaker and Kathryn Doherty and seniors Stephanie Chaires and Alisa Murray, qualified for nationals with an excellent time of 9:22.06 to take second at the meet.
Freshman Nathaniel Belden posted a score of 5,749 in the decathlon to take third overall at the meet and finish 23rd in the nation for the season. This placed him just outside of nationals qualification, but finished up a promising first year for Belden.
Freshman Paige Labare placed seventh in the 100m dash with a time of 12.39, finishing behind the winner from Cal State Los Angeles by less than a second. She took another seventh place finish in the 200m dash with a time of 26.28 to close out a successful meet.
Other highlights of the day included Doherty, who competed in the individual 800m run and finished tenth overall with a time of 2:23.39. Hunsaker also ran in the 3000m steeplechase and earned herself a qualifying time for nationals by running a time of 11:24.42 to finish third. Freshman Ashley Otah took fifth in the 100m hurdles with a time of 17.56 and sophomore Brian Marcus took sixth in the 400m dash by running a 51.12.
The Eagles will next send those who qualified to the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 25-27 in Gulf Shores, Alabama.