OLATHE, Kan. – The Azusa Pacific women’s track & field team grabbed the early lead at the NAIA Outdoor Championships with no intention of letting it go – or for that matter allowing anyone to get close over the next 2 days of the 3-day meet.

Led by All-Americans Vanessa Wilhelm and Vivian Chukwuemeka, Azusa Pacific scored 24 points during Thursday’s opening-day competition to assume the women’s team lead in what they hope will eventually result in their first-ever NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship. Wilhelm and Chukwuemeka were responsible for all 24 of today’s counters.

Despite suffering from a partially-separated right shoulder that forced her to pass on her final 3 throws, Wilhelm nonetheless successfully defended her javelin crown, winning the event with a season-best 143-11 to become the first Cougar since 1997 to win back-to-back NAIA titles in the same event.

“I’m usually not nervous in the javelin, but today I was,” said Wilhelm, who notched the winning launch on her second attempt before re-aggravating her shoulder on the next throw. “I really didn’t think I’d pull it off. This is only the third time I’ve thrown this year, and I came in with the fourth-best mark in the NAIA. I was in the hot seat all through the finals, watching the other girls throw. If I had to, I would have thrown one more time.”

In the meet’s opening event, Wilhelm and Chukwuemeka combined for 14 point by finishing second and third in the hammer throw. Wilhelm posted a 182-2 on her final attempt to move into second place, while Chukwuemeka was third with a personal-best 181-7, the second longest throw in Azusa Pacific history.

“We’re on course,” said Azusa Pacific women’s coach Mike Barnett, who led Azusa Pacific to the NAIA indoor championship in March. “We had a good first day. Vivian and Vanessa scored as they should, and the right people moved along in the prelims.”

Among those that advanced through the preliminaries are freshman Niema Golphin in the 400 (56.41), juniors Lisette Saucedo (2:18.24) and Laurie Ramirez (2:18.63) in the 800, Janessa Lepp in the 400 hurdles (1:02.77) and the Cougars’ 4x800 relay (9:19.13), which easily advanced while using 3 alternates who will not run in Friday’s final.

The Azusa Pacific men were not as fortunate. The two-time defending NAIA outdoor champions, who will be pressed to win a third straight crown, will now have to do so without All-Americans Nate Farris and Gabe Cabrera, both of whom failed to advance out of today’s preliminaries of the 400 meters. Farris, the reigning NAIA indoor 600 champ, faded over the final 150 meters of his race, and Cabrera gave a gallant effort but a slightly pulled hamstring suffered in Tuesday’s workout proved to be too much to overcome.

Still the Cougar men had its 4x800-meter relay advance to the finals with a 7:37.95, best among all semifinal competitors. Freshman Kevin Lindsey ran an outstanding third leg in which he put Azusa Pacific in the lead and then stretched the cushion for All-American Micah Strom on the anchor leg. Senior Dominique DeGrammont advanced to the finals in the 110-meter hurdles after clocking a prelim best 13.99.

The Cougar men’s lone chance to score during Thursday’s events came in the hammer where All-American Micah Goins recorded a 4-foot personal best with a 163-3, but it was still some 3 feet short of an opportunity to score.

The NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship continues Friday at the Olathe District Activities Center with 16 events, including 8 finals, in which Azusa Pacific will be represented.

Click here for complete meet results.