PUEBLO, Colo. - The Azusa Pacific women's track and field team has won their second NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field title in three years, as head coach Jack Hoyt and his team finished atop of the standings on Saturday after three days of competition in Colorado. On the final day in Pueblo, the Cougars were able to lock down the National title with two individual National Champions as well as eight All-American finishes.

"This was an amazing day for Azusa Pacific women's track & field." said Hoyt. "The team really came together, and people performed better than I could've imagined." 

Azusa Pacific headed into the day sitting at eighth place in the standings with just 11 points, but took advantage of the 11 events they were able to score in on the final day to soar to the top.

To begin the day, Molly Olson became the DII women's javelin National Champion, with a throw of 50.54m (165'-10"), securing 10 points for the Cougars. Alysa Henry was also an All-American in the event, placing 6th with a throw of 46.55m (152'8") and securing three more points for Azusa Pacific. For Olson, this performance makes her a two-time All-American in the javelin, while this is Henry's first All-American honor in the event.

The 4x100 team of Trinity Miller, Kiayra Holmes, Jaylah Walker and Alayna Verner then broke their own school record that they set yesterday, running a time of 44.72 to earn a 4th place finish. The quartet earned five more points for the Cougars to put them within one point of the lead from Grand Valley State. 

Azusa Pacific sat atop of the standings heading into the 100m hurdles with 40 points, while Minnesota State (37) and Grand Valley State (33) followed close behind. Esther Conde-Turpin and Walker kept the Cougars lead with strong performances as Conde-Turpin secured a 3rd place finish and Walker finished 4th. Conde-Turpin's time of 13.14 knocked down an Azusa Pacific school record and Walker crossed the line at 13.32. 

Alayna Verner then followed with an impressive performance in the 400m, finishing 2nd with a time of 52.78 to secure eight more points for the Cougars as they continued to lead.

Walker continued her impressive showing on the day as she claimed her second National title in the 400m hurdles (first title came in 2021) with a time of 57.61. Walker secured 10 more points for the Cougars and bumped their lead to 58 points, staying eight points above Minnesota State.

In the final event, the 4x400 relay team of Holmes, Verner, Conde-Turpin and Walker closed out the Championships by crushing their school record time that the group set yesterday by exactly four seconds, crossing the line at 3:34.48. This second place finish secured the final eight points for the Cougars, bringing their grand total to 66 which was more than enough for the Cougars to win their second National Championship and bring the trophy back to Azusa, Calif. 

MEET  SCORING BREAKDOWN (All-Americans)

15 points: Jaylah Walker (10 points - 1st - 400m Hurdles | 5 points - 4th - 100m hurdles)
10 points: Molly Olson (10 points - 1st - Javelin)
9 points: Alysa Henry (6 points - 3rd - Heptathlon | 3 points - 6th - Javelin)
8 points: Alayna Verner (8 points - 2nd - 400m)
8 points: Kiayra Holmes, Esther Conde-Turpin, Alayna Verner, Jaylah Walker (8 points - 2nd - 4x400 relay)
6 points: Esther Conde-Turpin (6 points - 3rd - 100m hurdles)
5 points: Trinity Miller, Kiayra Holmes, Alayna Verner, Jaylah Walker (5 points - 4th - 4x100 relay)
5 points: Eliana Saunders (5 points - 4th - High Jump)

The Cougars' national title is the sixth in program history (four-time NAIA National Champions - 2003, 2004, 2007, 2010), and the second NCAA national championship for the women's track and field program as well as any Azusa Pacific Athletics program. Under Hoyt's leadership, ten All-Americans were awarded this season as well as two individual national champions.

On the men's side, five Cougars earned All-American status as the team finished 13th overall. Jermel Jones II knocked down the Azusa Pacific school record with a second place finish and mark of 8.10m (26'7")

Jermel Jones II - 2nd - Long Jump - 8.10m (26'7")
Aaron Worrell - 2nd - Decathlon - 7,504
Nixon Korir - 5th - Steeplechase - 9:18.56
Logan Peyton - 7th - Javelin - 65.21m (213'-11")
Ben Sumner - 7th - 800m - 1:49.17

To read the recaps from the previous two days, visit the links below. To view the final results of the Championships, click here.

DAY ONE RECAP

DAY TWO RECAP