Bruin Men compete at Concordia Twilight

SEWARD, Neb. -- The Bellevue University women's 4 x 800 meter relay team had one final opportunity to hit the NAIA qualifying standard of 9:25.0 at Friday's Concordia Twilight on a perfect day at Bulldog Stadium. The women not only eclipsed that standard but just missed the automatic "A" standard, running 9:16.88 to punch their ticket to Asheville for the national championship on May 20. It was the first relay in Bruin program history to qualify for nationals.

Maggie Boley led off the team and turned in a personal best to stay in contention with squads from College of St. Mary, Dakota State, and Northwestern Iowa, all hoping to meet the qualifying standard. Alicia Rivera Camargo took the baton and turned in a lifetime best to keep the race close. Grace Steinmetz, already a national qualifier in the 5K and 10K runs, also turned in a life best and handed to anchor Wren Hofacket, who, like her teammates, recorded the best run of her life. In the end, four teams broke the stadium record, and all four met the standard to advance to nationals.

Several other Bruins took the opportunity to run a season-best. In the 1,500, Jack Brown was just off his personal record running 4:07.58, Xavier Mallow ran a season best 4:09.16, and Robbie Siford slashed an impressive eleven seconds from his best, running 4:09.73. Maggie Boley had a short recovery after her relay run and finished the 1500 in ninth place in 5:03.94.

Jose Lara Flores ran to a fourth-place finish in the 5,000-meter run, Alejandro Corona Martinez ran a personal best 2:15.00 in the 800 meters, and David Felipe Mejia covered 10,000 meters in 32:52.76 to conclude the evening.

Bruin thrower Bentlee Kollbaum traveled north to the University of South Dakota Twilight Meet, where she placed fifth in the javelin with a toss of 36.75 meters.

With the conclusion of the regular season, a record five Bruins will head to Asheville, N.C., for the NAIA National Championships held from May 20-22. Besides the women's 4x800 relay and Steinmetz in the 5K and 10K, Ronald Kipyegon will represent the Bruins at 800 meters.