RENO, Nev. — Azusa Pacific indoor track and field made a loud statement this past weekend at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, facing off against top-tier competition at the Nevada Invitational. From record-book entries to national provisional marks, the Cougars proved they are a force to be reckoned with as the indoor season heats up.

Friday: Distance Success in Reno

The weekend kicked off on Friday with the distance crew setting a high bar in the 1000m. Sophia Godina secured a 5th-place finish in the Women's 1000m, crossing the line at 3:05.80. On the men's side, Erick Leal put together a masterful race, clocking a 2:36.14 to take 2nd place overall, signaling a sign of things to come for the rest of the meet.

Saturday: Sprints and Middle Distance Dominance

Saturday saw the Cougars find another gear. True freshman Chase Hansen turned heads in the Men's 400m, posting a blistering 48.06 to take 4th place. More importantly, the mark served as an NCAA DII provisional qualifying time, a massive achievement for the freshman in his early collegiate campaign.

In the Women's 200m, Trinity Miller continued her ascent toward the top of the national leaderboards. Miller's time of 24.14 earned her 4th place in the meet and moved her up to the #3 spot in all of Division II this season.

The 600m races were equally kind to the Cougars:

• Luisa Fischer took 4th in the Women's 600m with a time of 1:37.90, which now stands as the 11th fastest mark in APU history.

• Nico Melendres dominated the Men's 600m, taking the event win with a time of 1:20.26 (#12 all-time at APU).

• Erick Leal returned to the podium in the same event, taking 3rd with a time of 1:23.18.

Relay Thriller: Underclassmen Challenge Division I Power

The highlight of the finale was the Men's 4x400m relay. An all-underclassman quartet consisting of Max Franklin, Isaac Shires, Caleb Twyman, and Chase Hansen nearly pulled off a stunning upset against Division I Cal State Northridge.

The Cougars finished 2nd with a cumulative time of 3:14.72, pushing CSUN to the absolute limit. The race was highlighted by Hansen's anchor leg; after Shires posted a 47.71, Hansen closed with a 47.63 split, including a lightning-fast 21.39 opening 200m that nearly erased the gap.

4x400m Relay Splits: Max Franklin | 49.71 | | Isaac Shires | 47.71 | | Caleb Twyman | 49.69 | | Chase Hansen | 47.63 |

With several marks landing in the school record books and the national rankings, Azusa Pacific leaves Reno with significant momentum heading into the heart of the indoor circuit.