OKLAHOMA CITY – While freshman phenom Jaden Rodriguez got things underway for the MACU Track & Field team last month, the whole Evangels squad will get the indoor season in full swing on Friday as MACU will be competing in the Owen Hewett Invitational hosted by the University of Oklahoma at the Mosier Indoor Track Facility in Norman, Oklahoma.
Competing in its inaugural indoor season, Friday's meet will be a "rust buster" for the whole squad after Rodriguez competed individually at the Crimson & Gold Invitational hosted by Pittsburg State on Dec. 7 in Pittsburg, Kansas. In the competition, it didn't take long for the Blanchard, Oklahoma product to record a pair of NCCAA National Championship qualifying marks in the 800-meter and Mile Run events.
In the Mile, Rodriguez crossed the line in 4:29.35 to place 30th out of 59 runners in the meet featuring primarily NCAA D-I and D-II competitors. Rodriguez then competed in the 800-meter event and once again set a qualifying standard when he finished with a time of 2:01.25 to place 34th of 55 competitors.
As a team, the Evangels will primarily be competing in the Open Mile, 3000-Meter and 800-Meter events.
On top of J-Rod, Aidan Collins and Alexander Pebeahsy will be a pair of men's competitors to watch in the 3000-meter and Mile events while Collin Seely will be seeking to pace the Evangels in the 800-Meter race.
On the women's side, seniors Gracie Sanders and Ainsley Velasquez will be looking to top the charts for MACU in the Mile and 3000-Meter after both runners put together phenomenal cross country reasons with Sanders collecting her second consecutive All-Sooner Athletic Conference and NCCAA All-American accolades.
