GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Fire added a final handful of national placings on the final day. Maci Mills ran her way to second in the 800 meters and highlighted Southeastern University's efforts in the final day of the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships.
After finishing fifth in Friday's prelims, Mills bettered her time and moved up three spots in the 800-meter run finals. The junior ran across the finish line in 2:14.39, 21 seconds faster than the prior day's time and 1.09 seconds behind the event winner, Life's Emeline Delaville.
After Mills, the Fire's Irmiris Mendez put five team points on the team scoreboard for her team. Mendez sprinted to seventh place in both the 60-meter dash (7.57 seconds) and 200-meter dash (25.04 seconds), while she registered an eighth place for the 60-meter hurdles (8.59 seconds) to finish a three-time NAIA All-American.
For the men, SEU senior Joseph Taylor logged a time of 48.27 seconds for eighth place in the 400-meter dash.
In the women's team standings, SEU totaled 24 team points for 14th place of the 60-team field. The University of the Cumberlands secured the team title with 58 points ahead of Doane College at 48.
In the men's side, the Fire struggled a bit, scoring just two points in the three-day event. Marian (Ind.) outlasted the University of the Cumberlands, 74-64, for the national team title.
SEU women's triple jumper Alyssa Morley missed becoming an All-American by only .2 meters and took 10th place with a distance of 11.74 meters.
In the men's pole vault, SEU's Jonathan Grant reached a height of 4.75 meters for 10th, while Kevin Parker went for 4.50 meters in 18th position.
The SEU track & field teams will now make the transition outdoors starting next Friday at the University of Tampa Track Classic.
