TOPEKA, Kan. — The Friends University Indoor Track & Field Falcons competed in the Washburn Rust Buster on Friday (Jan. 16), with notable performances including a second-place finish in the women's 60 meters by Tiyna Ridge, who hit her third straight NAIA Standard with a school record time of 7.44 seconds yesterday (Jan. 16) in Topeka, Kan.
Friends University Women's Track Highlights >>
A native of Edmond, Okla., Ridge's time at the Washburn Rust Buster also improves on her KCAC all-time mark and is the second-best time in the NAIA this season.
Ridge wasn't the only Falcon on the women's team to record a national standard, as Aneesa Sheppard (11.74m) hit an NAIA B Standard to win the Triple Jump competition. Sheppard's jump is tops in the KCAC this season.
Junior Gabriela Millan excelled in the women's 60 hurdles, securing a third-place finish with a time of 8.96 seconds, while Fien Molenberg (2:18.97) also recorded a top three finish in the 800 meter event.
In the 4 X 400 relay, the team of Liliana Robinson, Lydia Robinson, Molenberg and Naomi Vagher came through with a third-place finish at a time of 4:01.69.
Women's Podium Finishes (Top three)
Tiyna Ridge - 60 Meters (7.44, NAIA A Standard)
Aneesa Sheppard - Triple Jump (11.74m, NAIA B Standard)
Gabriela Millan - 60 Hurdles (8.96)
Fien Molenberg - 800 Meters (2:18.97)
4 X 400 Relay team (4:01.69)
The men's team also fared well in the 4 X 400 relay, as the unit of Marcus London, Spencer Hines, Eddy Rachedi and Logan Barnhill produced an NAIA B Standard time of 3:17.72 to post a top-five finish. The mark is second on the program's all-time list and ranks as the top time in the KCAC this season and is tied for 12th in the NAIA.
In just his second career meet, Erik Leggin recorded a third-place finish in the Triple Jump with a mark of 14.24m.
Men's Podium Finishes (Top Three)
4 X 400 relay team (3:17.72)
Erik Leggin - Triple Jump (14.24m)
The Falcon Indoor Track & Field programs are in action again next Saturday (Jan. 24) at the NAIA/JUCO Challenge on the campus of Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kan.
Friends track & field head coach Henry Brun on the Falcons' performance at the Washburn Rust Buster:
"The Washburn Rust Buster was truly a rust buster for our team. It was a shorter week, having a meet on a Friday, so we used it as a "work week" and knew that we would feel some fatigue going into competition. Nonetheless, we saw growth in every area. We are focusing this season on specifically being process-driven and playing the game in the game that we are in - not getting caught up in the numbers/rankings and just giving our best attitude and effort each week and trusting the plan we have mapped out. It was great to see a consistent competitive mindset from everyone, and it was a bonus to get quite a few personal bests, conference leading marks, and even adding a relay to the national championship group. With just under a month until our conference championships, we are starting to see the team come into full form and it is exciting to start the discussions on what it will take to contend for team titles."
