Track takes two in season’s first meet

Both men’s and women’s teams beat La Verne in season-opening dual meet.

Austin Green and Thecla Li • February 16, 2019

Photo courtesy of Photo by Thecla Li/ THE CHIMES

Men’s and women’s track started off their seasons on the right foot Saturday, as each team beat their counterparts from the University of La Verne in a rare home dual meet.

MAUMALANGA MASHES RECORD

On the women’s side, sophomore Anna Maumalanga picked up where she left off last season with wins in the shot put and discus throw, the latter of which set a new school record at 44.36 meters.

The Eagles took a while to get going before rattling off three straight wins in the mixed-school races. Freshman Sarah Ann Frank started her collegiate career with a winning 9.33-second mark in the 60-meter hurdles, followed by sophomore Heidi Sowers’ 400-meter hurdles win with a 1:08 time. Biola’s ‘A’ squad in the 4×370-meter relay rounded out the trio of Eagles victories with a winning 4:03 time.

The Eagles also took three of four in the women’s jumps, with solo victories from junior Sarah Prystupa in the pole vault, sophomore Hannah Hubbard in the long jump and freshman Rebeka Preston in the triple jump. The last two competitions were moved to La Mirada High School due to a problem with Biola’s field, according to head coach Sean Henning.

“It’s a unique meet because we have an unusual sized track and so times are not always indicative of the fitness they’re in… I think so far, everyone’s competing hard,” Henning said.

FRESHMEN SHOW OUT, BELDEN GOES FOR TWO

Freshman Noah Styffe started off the men’s side with an 11.42-second victory in the 100-meter dash, beating out two from ULV in his first college race. Junior Noah Strenn, who shares a high school alma mater with Styffe, followed that up with a victorious 51.17 time in the 400-meter dash.

“I feel pretty good,” Strenn said. “I think I still gotta work on my last 100 meters of the 400-meter run, but overall it was a pretty good start.”

Senior Ryan Thompson started off his final year in style with a win in the 3000-meter, coming in at 8:42. Junior Nathaniel Belden followed that up with an 8.47-second win in the 60-meter hurdles, and the Eagles made it a sweep in the 4×370-meter relay thanks to the men’s ‘A’ squad with a 3:16 time. Belden finished 1/100th of a second off the program record, Henning said.

Belden also took a victory in the pole vault, and freshman J’Vaughn Singleton made a great first impression by winning the long jump.

The Eagles get two weeks off before hitting the road, starting at the Long Beach State University Beach Opener on March 2.

0 0 votes

Article Rating

About the Contributors

Austin Green, Managing Editor

Austin Green is a junior journalism major who was first among his friends to predict that LeBron James would sign with the Los Angeles Lakers. When not focused on school or work, he enjoys watching sports, going to the beach or coffee shops, and hanging out with the guys on his dorm floor. [email protected] I laughed the first time I heard a former editor-in-chief use the line “once you join the Chimes, you never really leave.” Now in my third year here, it turns out the joke’s on me. After two years in the sports section, including last year as sports editor, I’m thrilled to be serving this year as managing editor to help build upon the legacy of such a great publication. My aspirations remain in sports journalism, but experience has deepened my love for dedicated local news reporting and its importance in communities. Much of my appreciation for that type of journalism came through working as a digital production intern for NBC Los Angeles last summer. There I helped cover stories such as the Trader Joe’s hostage crisis, the Cranston and Holy wildfires, and the Lakers’ overhaul of their iconic uniforms. I am so excited to help build this next chapter of the Chimes as we become a web-first publication with a deeper, dedicated focus on the communities in and around campus. I also contribute a print sports column, “Everything Eagles,” which provides a deeper look into Biola Athletics.

Thecla Li, Managing Editor

Thecla Li is a junior journalism major who loves tacos and photography. If you are having a hard time finding her, it’s probably because she’s running around snapping photos somewhere or editing them at the Taco van on Tuesday nights. [email protected] Hello! My name is Thecla Li and I’m from a little city country called Singapore. Yes, the place in “Crazy Rich Asians.” I came to Biola adamant to gain as much experience as possible from the very start. The Chimes was my best bet. Staying true to my visual media concentration, I took up the chance to try out as a freelance photographer at Nationball, one of Biola’s biggest events. I loved it and now I’m here; nothing else matters. I thoroughly enjoyed my first semester running around, flashing my press pass and skipping lines for chapels. The following semester, I became a photo apprentice and stepped into full editorship overseeing the visual department in my sophomore year. My cup overflows and God has honored me with the opportunity to serve as Chimes' Managing Editor in my junior year. Through the experience, I was given the opportunity to capture crucial memories that make Biola, Biola. I am so so blessed. Here’s to a new year!