NORMAN, Okla. – Competing in her first indoor track and field meet, senior Gracie Sanders set an NCCAA National Championship qualifying mark in the open 3000-meter while Jaden Rodriguez also tabbed a national qualifying mark in the invite 3000-meter as the MACU Indoor Track & Field team competed at the Owen Hewett Invitational hosted by the University of Oklahoma at the Mosier Indoor Track Facility on Friday.
Competing primarily NCAA D-II runners, Sanders finished second out of 13 runners with a time of 11:18.25, hitting the NCCAA qualifying standard by more than 11 seconds (11:30), ranking as the-fastest 3000-meter time run in the NCCAA so far this winter.
For Rodriguez, his qualifying mark of 9:07.55 set the 10th-fastest 3000-meter time in the NCCAA and is his third different qualifying mark this season after notching 800-meter and Mile qualifying marks at the PSU Crimson & Gold Invitational last month.
Sanders also ran in the open Mile, putting together a solid finish of 5:47.30 to place ninth out of 37 competitors. Ainsley Velasquez also competed in the Mile event as her 6:23.16 was good enough for 31st place.
On the men's side, Rodriguez competed in the open Mile event and turned in a solid time of 4:36.37 to come in fifth out of 41 runners in the event. Alexander Pebeahsy was MACU next-best finisher in the open Mile event with a 13th place time of 4:42.78.
In the open 800-meter run, Collin Seely and Connor Gerth were neck-and-neck as the two runners came in 15th and 16th out of 21 runners, crossing the line in 2:11.37 and 2:11.49, respectively.
The Evangels will return to action on Saturday, Jan. 25 as MACU will be making its way back to Pittsburg, Kansas for the NAIA / JUCO Challenge hosted Pittsburg State at the Robert W. Plaster Center.
Men's Results
Women's Results
