ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico - Azusa Pacific returns home after achieving multiple top-ten national marks, marking a weekend well spent at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic. The Cougars faced off against Division I Power Five programs like USC, Texas, Stanford, and LSU, and were able to hold their own with just over a month until NCAA DII Indoor Nationals. 

WOMEN

Veteran Alayna Verner posted one of the fastest times in program history, clocking 54.11 in the 400m dash to claim the third-fastest time in the nation.

After a strong performance provided her with a provisional mark in the 200m on Friday, Trinity Miller also threw down a personal-best time of 7.58 in the 60m sprint. Her time ranks her at No. 35 on the provisional list after a strong weekend.

Esther Conde-Turpin, who already owns four school records, ran 8.49 in the 60H, moving up to eighth in the nation. This marks her fourth provisional mark of the indoor season, while she remains the nation's leader in the pentathlon, which she earned at the Silver State Invitational and Multis in December.

Competing in her first collegiate pentathlon, freshman Emma Hein tallied 3548 points across five events, ranking 16th in the nation. Her best performance of the day included a second-place overall finish in the shot put in which she threw a career-best mark of 11.73m (38' 6").

Then after breaking the school record in the 800m on Day 1 of the meet, Olivia Alexandre returned to the track on Day 2 to help lead the 4x400 relay to a provisional mark. The team, also made up of Miller, Conde-Turpin, and Verner, ran 3:43.63, securing the sixth-fastest time in the nation.


MEN

Lincoln Krog put forth a strong finish on the final day of competition to take second overall in the heptathon after finishing Day 1 in third. His total of 5434 points marked a new career-best and was enough to put him at third in the nation and fourth overall in program history.

Maxime Wassmer posted a strong 46.74 in the 400m, improving his position on the national provisional list. He now holds the fourth-fastest time in the nation and sits sixth on the Azusa Pacific all-time performers list.

Capping off the meet, the Men's 4x400 relay, compiled of Wassmer, Max Franklin, Sid Varland, and Adam King, nearly missed the provisional mark, running a time of 3:16.37. The finish was just .26 seconds off the qualifying time.

Up Next: In continued preparation for Nationals just around the corner, team will send a small group of athletes to compete this upcoming weekend at the Husky Classic at the University of Washington, starting on Feb. 14th.