by Tim Baldi
Staff Writer
Last Saturday, April 10, the Bryan College Track & Field team competed in the 44th annual Sea Ray Relays at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The event hosted nearly 1,200 athletes between Wednesday and Saturday.
Bryan runners placed fourth in the 4×800 meter, setting a new Bryan record and the second fastest time in the NAIA with 7 minutes and 42 seconds.
The finishing time also qualified Bryan’s 4×800 team for the NAIA Outdoor National Championship on May 27-29.
“We can compete with anybody,” said Head Coach Rodney Stoker. “It’s just a matter of believing it.”
The team was in second place behind Illinois State after the second leg of the race. However, two teams passed the Lions during the remaining two legs.
Freshmen Jason McLeod and Alex Stephens, sophomore Bryson Harper and senior Joshua Bradley competed in the relays on Friday and Saturday of last week.
“It was impressive how our boys competed,” said Stoker.
McLeod and Stephens ran personal bests in the 4×800 which was their first relay competition.
During Friday’s relays, Harper set a personal best in the 1500 at 3:58. Later in the evening, Bradley made fourth in the second section of the 800 at 1:53.
Several other schools participated in the relays such as Illinois State University (Normal), Milligan College (Milligan College, Tenn.), Lee University (Cleveland, Tenn.) Alabama University (Tuscaloosa) and University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.
The Lions will face their next rivals Thursday and Friday at Western Carolina University for the AAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Cullowhee, N.C.