Trio of Trojans Hit NAIA Standards on First Day of Fighting Chance

JOLIET, Ill. – The Trojans began competition at the Fighting Chance Meet hosted by Saint Francis (Ill.) on Friday, and a trio of athletes hit NAIA Standards to bolster the team heading to the NAIA National Championships later this month.

Addie Draper posted a career-best time in the 800-meters at 2:12.52, which hit the NAIA B Standard and narrowly missed hitting the automatic qualifying time by .52 seconds. Draper won her heat and had the second fastest time in the 800-meters at the event, paving her way to compete at the NAIA National Championships for a second-consecutive season.

Sam Patterson improved on her career-best mark in the steeplechase by almost ten seconds, clocking a time of 11:09.48, which pushed her up to the tenth-best time in the NAIA this season after previously sitting in 18th.

Malarie Pinwar and Noel Bass concluded the night for the Trojans in the 5,000-meters. Pinwar hit the NAIA B Standard with a mark of 17:09.83, her career-best in the event while Bass crossed the line at 18:05.52.

Three Trojans competed in an earlier race of the 5,000-meters with Rebekah Firestone leading the trio with a mark of 17:50.38, followed by Kennedy Applegate clocking a time of 18:25.10 and Zoe Dinius running a time of 20:44.06.

Emersyn Funk ran a personal best time of 2:19.80 in the 800-meters earlier in the day.

Taylor continues competition at the Fighting Chance meet hosted by Saint Francis (Ill.) on Saturday, May 9th at noon.