William Penn Seeking to Extend All-America Streak

William Penn University Athletics

by Wade Steinlage

Oskaloosa–The Statesmen track and field teams will put its best in action this week as it competes at the NAIA Outdoor National Championships.

The event, the 68th annual for the men and 39th annual for the women, will be held in Gulf Shores, Ala. Thursday through Saturday in Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium.

The men’s squad will be looking to make it 10 consecutive national meets with an All-America honor, a streak dating back to the 2015 indoor campaign.

Chris Leiba (Jr., Olympia, Wash., Business Management), Tristen Elmore (Jr., Ovied, Fla., Physical Education), Joel Brown (Fr., Columbus, Ga.), Michael Hubbard (Sr., Gary, Ind., Exercise Science), and Sage Ehresman (Jr., Sully, Iowa, Exercise Science) (alternate) will represent the 4×100-meter relay crew. The team, which currently ranks ninth nationally with a time of 41.29 seconds, will compete in the trials Thursday at 3 p.m. The event’s final is scheduled for Saturday at 2:50 p.m.

Leiba and Elmore are also set to compete in the 100-meter dash. Leiba is 12th nationally at 10.51 seconds, while Elmore is 24th at 10.70. The duo will battle in Friday’s trials at 3:10 p.m., while the finals will be on Saturday at 4 p.m.

Vashti Nwagbaraocha (Sr., Milwaukee, Wis., Exercise Science) will be in action as well in the women’s high jump, which will go off on Saturday at 2 p.m. The senior is currently eighth in the NAIA with a mark of 5-7.