Omaha, Neb. – The Friends University Falcon track & field programs made their mark this weekend at the KCAC Indoor Championships, with the men's program recording a strong second-place finish and the women's team coming in third this weekend at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha, Neb.
The Men's Falcons accumulated 128.50 points to finish just behind Kansas Wesleyan University's winning total of 141 points. The Women's Falcons produced 88 points behind first place University of Saint Mary (198.50) and second place Evangel University (138.50).
It was the Falcon Women getting the opening day off to a hot start, with Aaliyah Ramirez breaking the KCAC meet record and hitting the NAIA B Standard in winning the Pole Vault title (3.60m).
Aneesa Sheppard followed that up with an NAIA B Standard of her own to finish second in the Long Jump (5.67m).
More individual championships were to be won for the Falcons on the first day, as Damon Scott (7.07m) was victorious in the Men's Long Jump and Carter Giittinger (4.45m) paced the field in the Men's Pole Vault.
Additional day one medalists included:
Jesus Bey (2nd, Men's Pole Vault, 4.30m)
Brynna Halata (3rd, Women's Pole Vault, 3.30m)
Leshaon Davis (3rd, Men's Shot Put, 14.68m)
Mikkel Tarver (3rd, Men's Long Jump, 7.01m)
The second night was capped off in dramatic fashion, as the team of Daniel Castello, Spencer Hines, Carter Giittinger and Eddy Rachedi came in second in the Men's 4 X 400 Meter Relay to propel the Falcons into the runner-up position in the final event of the meet.
Additional day two medalists for the Falcons included:
Abigail Green (2nd, Women's Weight Throw, 15.73m)
Mikkel Tarver (2nd, Men's Triple Jump, 14.21m)
Carter Giittinger (2nd, Men's 60 Meter Hurdles, 8.64)
Tiyna Ridge (2nd, Women's 60 Meter Dash, 7.72)
Anya Walton (3rd, Women's Triple Jump, 11.44m)
Eddy Rachedi (3rd, Men's 400 Meter Dash, 50.68)
Briac Ybanez, Braeden Harris, Jace Douglas, Xavi Rafart (3rd, Men's 4000m DM, 10:54.10)
The Falcons' national qualifiers will now prepare for the upcoming NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships set for Feb. 27-Mar. 1 at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville, Fla.
