Marion, Ind. – The Friends University Falcons put a nice bow on the 2025 outdoor season with multiple All-America results plus other solid showings at the NAIA National Championships at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.
Abby Green got things started right for the Falcons on the first day by picking up her first career All-America honor in the Hammer Throw with a PR of 53.26m.
On day two it was veteran Pablo Sanz-Rillo earning his seventh career All-America result by recording a PR and school record 21:40.42 to finish fifth in the Race Walk.
Then to cap off the event on a high note, the team of Naomi Vagher, Rhianna Hill, Haidyn Thompson and Tiyna Ridge came through with an All-America finish in the 4 X 100m relay at 46.92. Ridge was a double qualifier and also ran 12.01 in the 100 Meter event.
Additional Falcon national qualifiers that competed included Payton Willits (Long Jump, 6.92m), Damon Scott (Long Jump, 6.81m), Mikkel Tarver (Triple Jump, 14.12m), Aaliyah Ramirez (Pole Vault, 3.50m), Aneesa Sheppard (Triple Jump, 11.81m) and Anya Walton (Triple Jump, 11.65m). Daniel Castello, Spencer Hines, Carter Giittinger and Eddy Rachedi also qualified and raced in the 4 X 400 relay with a time of 3:17.60.
Click HERE for full results of the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships
Head Coach Henry Brun on the Falcons performances at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field National Championships:
"What a great way to end an impressive season by this team. The weather was a bit testy - windy, rain, and chilly temperatures - but we were resilient through it all. The national meet always comes with growth and experience for all the underclassmen, and this trip was no different. It was great to see our composure and grit in each of our events. Overall, we represented Friends TF with pride.
I am so proud of Abby and her development over the last three years. She is someone who is known to show up in the biggest moments. The multiple PRs during the competition, even with the weather conditions, put her on that podium for the first of hopefully many more times in her career.
Pablo capped off his Friends career with another AA honor and another huge PR. He has his sights set on the next step in his athletic career, having a couple races back home in Spain this summer and then gearing up for a run at the LA28 Trials. I have been impressed with his commitment and self-discipline and I can't wait to continue to work with him, as he is continuing his education at Wichita State in their Engineering Master's program.
Our women's 4x100m relay has been a work in progress for the last couple years. When bringing in Tiyna last fall, there were some health items we needed to tend to in order for her to have a long and successful college athletic career, so we had to make the tough decision to take last year to get healthy. It bought me the time to recruit a class of short sprinters (Valeria, Rhianna, Haidyn, Naomi) to invest in one another with the goal of being the best short sprint group in school history. I loved watching them grow together this season, not just in their performances on the track but also their confidence in one another and their composure as future leaders of the program. They had their eyes set on AA all season, starting with our first outdoor meet at TCU. We knew we had a chance to make it happen going into the national meet, and through the cold temperatures and sideways rain we made it a reality. The future is so bright for this core group.
When the season lasts from December to late May, it's always hard to have immediate reflection on how the season went. But if the records (school and conference), personal bests, national qualifiers, and All-Americans are any indication, I would say that we have a fantastic foundation for future seasons. Our incoming recruiting class of 30+ will have great leadership from our returners who understand and embrace the legacy of excellence this program continues to maintain."
