Marion, Ind. – Junior Pablo Sanz-Rillo recorded his third NAIA All-American honor in the Men's 5000m Race Walk at this week's NAIA National Championship meet on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.
Sanz-Rillo finished sixth with a time of 22:29.70 for his fifth NAIA All-America performance overall in his career.
In other action at the national competition for the Falcons, Carter Giittinger came in 13th in the Men's Decathlon with 5994 points that included PR's in the Shot Put (11.32m), 400m (52.55) and the Pole Vault (4.15m).
Abby Green then put in the best Hammer Throw of her career with a PR of 52.08m to finish 12th in the event.
On the second day, Anya Walton jumped 11.60m in the Women's Triple Jump for a 16th place result , while Damon Scott (6.70m) finished 22nd in the Long Jump and Gage Carr (26:30.95) was also a national qualifier in the Men's 5000m Race Walk and came in 16th.
The third and final day featured a pair of personal bests, with Mikkel Tarver (14.66m) producing a PR and 14th place finish in the Men's Triple Jump and Austin Hoyt coming through with a PR and finishing 12th as the Falcons' first-ever national qualifier in the Men's Pole Vault.
Levaris Stigarll also qualified in the Men's Discus and Moriah Shaw was a national qualifier in the Women's 400m Hurdles, but Shaw was unable to compete due to attending the Black Student-Athlete Summit in Los Angeles, Calif.
Friends track & field head coach Henry Brun on the Falcons' 2024 outdoor season that culminated at the NAIA National Championship meet
"This national meet was one of growth for our young group. We showed up in a big way across all events. It was great to see several personal bests and improvements on national rankings during the competition. It showed that we were able to keep our composure and execute to the best of our ability, with so many athletes in this group attending NAIAs for the first time.
There is a great foundation to build upon here. This season had so many highs and I can confidently say that this young roster is hungry for future successes. Our season is long, so it is always encouraging to see the fire stay lit from September through May. Going into this summer, I am most excited about the leadership our returners are prepared to impart on our incoming freshman class this fall."
