NEW ORLEANS – The Friends University Men's Indoor Track & Field Falcons are in the 15th spot in the latest NAIA U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) rating index.
The Falcons are also the third ranked team in the South Central Region, behind only Texas Wesleyan University and the University of Saint Mary.
Bolstering the Falcons' surge up the ratings was the performance of freshman Malachi Sanders, as the Powder Springs, Ga. native achieved an NAIA A standard and finished first in the 600 Meter run while helping the team of Chad Payne, Eddy Rachedi and Dectrick Edwards come in as the runner-up with an NAIA B Standard in the Men's 4 X 400 relay.
"I am very excited about where our men's program is right now," said Friends track & field head coach Henry Brun. "We are a relatively young group, but we have worked very hard to overcome inexperience to show that we belong as one of the Top 25 teams in the NAIA. We still have a few weeks to get some marks out there and I think we can continue to climb the rankings leading into the KCAC Championships.
The men have some great goals set for the next month and every day at practice it shows that they are serious about achieving them. I can tell this is a special group because they are making the hard work fun."
The Falcons will next compete at the Herm Wilson Invitational on this weekend (Jan. 26-27) at Wichita State University.
