RENO, Nev. – In their only winter meet held indoors prior to the NAIA championships in 4 weeks, Azusa Pacific men’s and women’s track & field teams showed well at the Wolfpack Invitational at the University of Nevada, finishing third in both divisions.

Fueled by victories in the mile, high jump, shot put, weight throw and distance medley relay, the Cougar women tallied 79 points to finish third among the 12-team field, trailing only meet host Nevada and California.

NAIA champ Vivian Chukwuemeka led the way with 20 points of her own, winning the shot put (56-8 ¾) by nearly 7 feet ahead of her next competitor, and the 20-pound weight throw (56-8½). Teammate Vanessa Wilhelm shadowed Chukwuemeka’s efforts, finishing third in the weight (54-1) and sixth in the shot (45-8½) with season-best efforts.

Sophomore All-American Brianna Carstensen won her first attempt in the mile this year, clocking a career-best 5:03.90, more than 5 seconds ahead of Nevada’s Jenna Huber. Carstensen also ran a leg on the Cougars’ winning distance medley relay (12:24.79).

Junior Mireya Beltran won the high jump (5-5¾) and in the process improved her season-best mark, putting her among the favorites to capture the NAIA crown.

Fellow junior Lisette Saucedo finished 10th in the 800 meters (2:22.62) and in the in process qualified for the NAIA Indoor Championships.

Like their female teammates, the Cougar men finished third among the 14-team field, recording 61 points to finish behind Fresno State and California.

The Cougars won a pair of events, including the distance medley relay which clocked a 10:45.21. Sophomore Tim Ramirez won the 800 with a personal-best 1:55.32, which also qualified him for NAIAs.

Though he had already qualified for the NAIA high hurdles via the 60-meter version, senior Dominque DeGrammont blazed an NAIA-best 7.38 in the 55-meter distance of the high hurdles. Meanwhile, Nate Farris tentatively registered his name in the 55 meters with a provisional-qualifying 6.57.

Other strong individual showings include Brian Wardell’s second-place finish in the mile (4:24.78), and a third-place effort by Mike Cory in the long jump (22-1).

Azusa Pacific returns home next week to host another indoor qualifying invitational on Saturday (Feb. 15).