RENO, Nev. – The track and field season is officially in full gear, and if the opening weekend is any indication, Azusa Pacific is operating at a championship pace. Behind a historic individual pentathlon performance and a high-stakes victory in the relay lanes, the Cougars dominated the Silver State Invitational held at the University of Nevada.

The weekend's signature performance belonged to Luisa Fischer, who put the field on notice in the Women's Indoor Pentathlon. Fischer secured the individual title with an elite score of 4,006 points, easily eclipsing the NCAA Division II provisional qualifying standard of 3,310 points. Fischer bolstered her tally with a dominant pentathlon shot put victory, launching a throw of 13.51m.

Teammate Emma Hein also checked the provisional box early in the year, finishing 10th with 3,444 points.

Azusa Pacific displayed unmatched depth in the women's shot put, taking the top two spots on the podium. Hannah Richardson claimed the individual title with a powerful mark of 15.23m. Following close behind was teammate Kristina Rakocevic, who secured second place with a distance of 13.90m. Both Cougars comfortably cleared the NCAA provisional mark of 13.64m, marking a massive start for the throwing corps.

The Cougar quartet of Nasir Samuels, Isaac Shires, Max Franklin and Chase Hansen provided the highlight of the relay sessions, capturing the 4x400m Relay title in a photo-finish atmosphere. Clocking in at 3:14.78, Azusa Pacific held off D-1 Sacramento State to take the gold. Crucially, the time dipped under the NCAA provisional standard of 3:15.49, effectively securing an early ticket to postseason consideration.

While it's only December, Azusa Pacific has proven that they aren't waiting for spring to find their gear. With standard-shattering performances in the multi-events and high-octane wins on the track, the road to the national stage looks wide open for the Cougars.