This week the red hot Biola track and field team returned to action at the Azusa Pacific Last Chance Qualifier on Friday and Saturday. For some it was just that – a final opportunity to qualify for the upcoming NAIA Indoor Championships. For some, it was merely a tune-up. Regardless, the Eagles still put forth an impressive showing.

Sophomore Natasha Miller, who has been grabbing headlines all season, hopped, skipped, and jumped her way to a first place finish in the triple jump with a leap of 11.99m. Miller also finished third in the long jump with a leap of 5.51m, and took second in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.97. Not far behind her was freshman Lauren Ramirez, finishing fourth place in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.98.

After Miller amassed 3,621 points in the pentathlon last week, setting a school record and posting the highest point total in the NAIA this season, she took a well-deserved day off from the event. Ramirez and sophomore Connie Andersen represented Biola, and did not disappoint. Ramirez finished in second place with a total of 2951 points, and Andersen finished fourth with 2661 points.

Senior Erin Hobson shared a first place finish with two others in the pole vault, hoisting herself to a height of 3.10m.

On the men’s side, freshman David Ricksecker made a strong showing as well, finishing in a close second place in the mile run with a time of 4:19.97.

The track and field team has seen their success increase exponentially – thanks largely in part to head coach Jonathan Zimmerman. In just his third year as head coach, Zimmerman has seen a dramatic increase in the number of athletes. He attributes the escalating achievement to the hard work and cohesion among the team.

“The track and field team had 16 athletes in my first year. This year, we have 50. This is by far the most athletes that we have had,” Zimmerman said. “Now sprinters can work out with sprinters, hurdlers can work with hurdlers. No one is practicing by themselves.”

The Eagles will take the weekend off and take flight to Tennessee next week to compete in the NAIA Indoor Championships. Two years ago, Biola brought two qualifiers. Last year, they brought eight. This year, the track and field team boasts 16 qualifying athletes.

“This is by far the most athletes we have ever had qualify,” said Zimmerman.

Representing the men will be Ricksecker, who qualified in the mile run, and the men’s distance medley relay team.

The women will be paced by Miller, who will be extremely busy. She qualified in the pentathlon, the 60m hurdles, long jump, triple jump, and high jump. Ramirez will join Miller in the pentathlon as well. Sophomore Katie Thede will compete in the 1000m along with freshman Nychele Fischetti. Senior Erin Hobson qualified in the pole vault, and freshman Carissa Bowman will compete in the 5000m. The women will also send three relay teams – a 4×400, 4×800 and a distance medley relay team.

The NAIA Indoor Championships run from March 5 through 7. You can follow the results here by following the track and field link.