Eagle Track Closes Out Competition at Indoor Nationals
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Embry-Riddle women’s track and field teams closed out a successful run at the NAIA Indoor National Championship in Johnson City, Tenn. on Saturday. The Eagles’ accomplishments during the three-day meet included four All-America and four school record performances.
Freshman Samia Adan raced her way to a second place finish in 2:13.88 in the women's 800m, scoring eight points for the Eagles and earning All-American status. After entering the competition as the No. 4 seed, Adan surpassed her expectations and finished just four seconds behind the 2010 National Champion, Helen Croft of Simon Fraser.
Also earning All-America honors and scoring points for the men was Evans Kirwa, Sam Vazquez, and Russell Snyder.
Kirwa took home third place in the men's 5000m, crossing the finish line in 14:43.56, nearly 18 seconds faster than his previous school record time that he set in the preliminary race on Friday. His finish added six points to the men's team total and earned him All-America honors.
Vazquez finished fourth overall in the men's mile as he crossed the finish line in 4:12.55 and picked up four points for the Eagles.
Snyder entered the men's 3000m as the No. 6 seed and finished one place higher, as he took home fifth in an ERAU record time of 8:31.76, scoring two points for the Blue and Gold.
The Eagles' Spencer Wade competed in the pole vault finals this afternoon and finished ninth overall, recording a height of 4.70m.
Flo Vazquez and Julie Mayfield also competed in the final day of the 2010 National Championship, finishing 11th and 9th in their respective events. After recording a school record in the 3000m prelims, Vazquez looked poised to finish strong in today's final. She landed herself in 11th place finishing the race in 10:34.19.
Mayfield entered the mile event as the 10th seed after her performance in yesterday's prelims, but finished one place higher than expected (9th) with a time of 5:23.66.
The women's 4x800m relay (Baleigh Hyatt, Erika Langhauser, Holly Sandon and Adan) raced their way to a seventh place finish, just one place short of earning All-America status.
While the other Embry-Riddle competitors did not advance into the finals after their performances in today's preliminary rounds, their efforts did not go unnoticed. Five ERAU freshmen made their first trip to the national championship, including Breanna Goring, Taylor Russell, Laquardo Newbold, Leon Robinson and Bobby Thomas. Goring raced well enough to break an ERAU record in the 60m hurdles, clocking in at 9.28.
Overall, the men's team finished 18th and the women's team took home 19th place. The Eagles will head back to Daytona Beach, Fla. and look forward to the start of the 2010 outdoor season, which kicks off Mar. 20 in Orlando, Fla. at the Black and Gold Challenge.