FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. –- Hurdlers Matt Sparks and Nate Nasca highlighted Azusa Pacific’s 2-day effort at the Mountain T Invitational in the J.L. Walkup Skydome on the campus of Northern Arizona.

The NAIA’s reigning outdoor high hurdle champ, Sparks led a large contingent of Cougars in Flagstaff, Ariz., by clocking a sizzling 8.15 to not only finish fourth in the men’s 60-meter hurdles but also automatically qualify for NAIA Indoor Championships. In the process he shaved .07 of a second off his previous personal best and set up himself as a leading contender at next month’s national championship meet.

Sparks received some unexpected support from Nasca, who blazed an automatic qualifying and personal-best 8.34 in the prelims. It wasn’t Nasca’s only sprint of the day either. He also ran in the finals of the 60 meters where he recorded a 6.98 to reach the NAIA “B” standard in that event as well.

All-American James Ferguson continued his emergence in the shot put, posting a 3-foot PR with a heave of 54’ 4” to finish 15th in the invitational portion of the competition at NAU. The effort moves Ferguson into an elite group of competitors in the NAIA.

Meanwhile, senior Lance Soderberg put together his second straight strong outing in the high jump, clearing 6’ 9¾” for his best effort as a collegian.

The Azusa Pacific 4x400-meter relay of Tony Ramirez, Jason Zichterman, Sparks and Caleb Lynch edged Arizona State and Southern Utah to win that event with a very impressive early-season time of 3:16.88, another NAIA qualifying time.

The Cougar women seemingly struggled with the 7,000-foot altitude of Flagstaff and subsequently struggled with their showing. Only All-American Lorraine Swaby shined among the large field of female competitors, finishing third in the 400 meters with a season-best 58.50, just .10 of a second off an automatic qualifying performance.

Azusa Pacific’s multi-event athletes made their 2007 debut at NAU. Cougar women Morgan Altizer and Zoro Golcevska scored 3,173 and 3,119 points, respectively, in the pentathlon. Meanwhile, Cougar men David Pichler (4,541), Shawn Bolcarovic (4,225) and Devyn Wills (4,534) completed their first-ever heptathlons, a new NAIA event for male competitors.

Azusa Pacific returns home this weekend to host a collegiate “indoor” meet with a pentathlon/heptathlon at 2 p.m. on Friday (Feb. 9) followed by the full meet Saturday (Feb. 10) beginning gat 10 a.m.