JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. –- Pentathletes Zora Golcevska and Morgan Altizer highlighted Azusa Pacific’s showcase during the first day of the 3-day NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships on the campus of East Tennessee State University.

The Cougar pair finished second and third in the pentathlon to give Azusa Pacific the early women’s lead in the team competitoin with 14 points. Golcevska, a junior transfer from Santa Monica City College, tallied a personal record 3,550 points to finish as the national runner-up behind Doane’s Katie Kosmos, a multi-All-American who won with 3,849 points. Golcevska’s point total is the second highest in the school history, trailing over the record-setting Mireya Beltran’s 2004 standard of 3,613. Meanwhile, Altizer becomes a 3-time All-American in the pentathlon with her 3,388 points that put her in third place.

Both Golcevska and Altizer recorded PRs in the 60-hurdles and shot put to put them in All-American contention. As the 5-event pentathlon unfolded, it became apparent that Golcevska would lock in on second place. However, Altizer needed the 800 of her lifetime to rally back into third, and she came up with it, using Golcevska as her guide to record a 2-second personal-best 2:27.29 (Golcevska clocked a 2:27.28).

The pentathlon is the only women’s final event on what was otherwise a light first-day of competition. Two of the Cougars’ 3 relay teams advanced to the finals of their respective events. Led by cross country All-Americans Jaime Canterbury and Whitney Jacobsmeyer, the Cougar 4x800 and distance medley relays each moved out their prelims, using a 12:26.20 in the DRM to easily advance and clocking a 9:29.06 in the 4x800 to just squeeze into the 8-team finals scheduled for Friday.

However, the Cougars 4x400 relay did not advance out the prelims, running a 4:06.14, 8 seconds behind the final qualifier.

In the men’s competition, there were no final events scheduled today, but junior David Pichler is primed to make a run at the first-ever NAIA title in the heptathlon. The All-American out of Yelm, Wash., is currently in second place with 2,741 points, but only 241 points separate the top 4 heptathletes as they head into Friday’s final 3 events – 60-meter hurdles, pole vault and 1000 meters.

“David had a good day,” said Azusa Pacific men’s coach Kevin Reid, “but it’s going to be a real battle tomorrow. Any number of guys could win it, and Pich is among them.”

After 13-years of the 5-event pentathlon, the heptathlon is being introduced as a replacement event for the first time in NAIA indoor championship history.

In preliminary action, all 3 Azusa Pacific relays advanced to their respective finals, and they looked impressive in the process. Led by NAIA champion Aron Rono, the Cougar distance medley relay ripped off a fine 10:15.58, second only to Virginia Intermont, which Azusa Pacific expects to battle for the Saturday’s DRM and eventual team crowns. The Cougar 4x800 ran a 7:44.05, fifth best out of the 8 qualifiers, and the 4x400 moved along with 3:14.33.

While Friday’s championship meet schedule features several more preliminary races, there a few key finals nonetheless. All-American James Ferguson makes his meet debut in the 30-pound weight throw early in the day. Senior Lance Soderberg and freshman Stephon Arnold look press for All-America recognition in the high jump later in the day. And the Cougar 4x800 closes out Friday’s competition gunning for the event victory, a possible second in the past 4 years.