Aliso Viejo, CA – The Firestorm Track & Field program travelled to Aliso Viejo, CA to compete at the GSAC Track & Field Championships and returned with its second straight championship trophy.  This year they were able to share the title of GSAC Champions with the men's team who secured their first team title since the 2023 season. When all was said and done, seven new program records were set, the team earned twenty-eight All-GSAC awards, and eight of those were GSAC Champions.  Leading the way was sophomore Rylan Rhodes who shared Athlete of the Meet honors with Mallory Turner of Park-Gilbert.  They pair led all point scorers with 34 points through their various track & field events. India Green, by scoring 25 points, was named Freshman of the Meet.  And finally, head coach Brian Bell was given Coach of the Year honors for the second year in a row.  

Heptathlon
The meet began with the heptathlon which featured three Firestorm ladies, Lucille Lovelace, Cheney Gomez and Jocelyn Odiott.  Lovelace took first with a new personal best score of 3650 and was followed closely behind by Gomez who finished second with 3626.  Odiott finished third in just her second heptathlon of her life, and improving her score by over 500 points from a month ago to secure the final All-GSAC spot with a score of 3292. 

Relays 
The 4x100 relay and 4x400 relay won GSAC championships, and all three teams earned All-GSAC when the 4x800 team finished second with a school record time of 10:25.37 at the end of day one.  The 4x100 team of Rylan Rhodes, India Green, Anabel Johnson, and Georgia Gomez reset the program record books for the fourth time this season with a time of 48.92, and at the end of the meet, Rhodes, Gomez, and Green were joined by multi's athlete Lovelace to cap off the teams championship performance with by winning the 4x400. 

Sprints 
Members of the relay team also showed strong in the individual events.  Green shattered her previous school records in both the 100 and 200 with times of 12.3 and 25.53 respectively and was followed close behind by Rhodes who finished second in both races. 

Distance 
The distance program received strong performances from Kaesha Guillaume, Alison Unruh and Ezra Haller.  Guillaume led the charge in the steeplechase with a season best time of 11:46.78 to secure her second straight All-GSAC award in the event.  Unruh ran in the 10K and secured All-GSAC distinction by setting a new program record of 38:04.35 which was a 38 second improvement from six weeks ago when she first set the program record at Occidental College.  Lastly Haller, who had a very productive final day, secured All-GSAC honors in the 1500 and 800, while securing fifth place in the 5K.  Her times in all three events were season bests, and her 5K (18:09.79) is a new program record.

Jumps 
Between running events, Rhodes found time to win the long jump with a leap of 17' 05.25".  Defending triple jump champion Goldyn Hall finished second this year to secure back-to-back All-GSAC honors, and was joined by Lovelace who finished third with a mark of 33' 0.75".

Throws 
Fresh off her second place showing in the heptathlon, Cheney Gomez won the GSAC Championship in the javelin with a new personal best throw of 117' 6".  It was a strong team showing with fellow heptathlete Lovelace, Rhodes, Emma Webster, Freda Amouzou, and Adalien Santa Maria contributing points to the cause.  Earlier in the afternoon Santa Maria earned All-GSAC accolades with a second-place finish in the Hammer throw.  On the final day Sedona Dietrich took charge in the discus and shot put with top mark on the team and All-GSAC honors received.

Pole Vault
McKenna Rogers won her second GSAC championship in the Pole Vault, and freshman Beka Freeman took third.

From Head Coach Brian Bell
"It was a thrilling championship, with so many great moments.  We attribute the team's success to God's kindness and a lot of hard work.  The is a first in the history of track & field at Arizona Christian University to have both teams win the GSAC championship in the same year."

GSAC Team Finishes

1. Arizona Christian – 331
2. The Master's – 164
3. Park-Gilbert – 85.5
4. Embry-Riddle – 78
5. Simpson – 71
6. Hope International – 21
7. Ottawa (AZ) - 19.5
8. Soka - 9

Heptathlon Results

1. Lucille Lovelace – 3,650 points | GSAC Champion | Program Record
2. Cheney Gomez – 3,626 points | All-GSAC
3. Jocelyn Odiott – 3,292 points | All-GSAC

Top Track Finishers
4x100M Relay: Green, Gomez, Johnson, Rhodes – 48.92 | GSAC Champions | Program Record
4x400M Relay: Green, Gomez, Johnson, Rhodes – 4:11.67 | GSAC Champions 
4x800M Relay: Haller, Till, Mangini, Holmes – 10:25.37 | All-GSAC | Program Record
100 Meters: India Green – 12.30 | GSAC Champion | Program Record
200 Meters: India Green – 25.53 | GSAC Champion | Program Record
400 Meters: Georgia Gomez – 1:00.22 | All-GSAC
800 Meters: Ezra Haller – 2:20.25 | All-GSAC
1500 Meters: Ezra Haller – 4:46.83 | All-GSAC
5000 Meters: Ezra Haller – 18:09.79 | Program Record
10,000 Meters: Alison Unruh – 38:04.35 | All-GSAC | Program Record
3K Steeplechase: Kaesha Guillaume – 11:46.78 | All-GSAC
100M Hurdles: McKenna Rogers – 15.91 | All-GSAC
400M Hurdles: Jayde Stremcha – 1:11.54 | All-GSAC
 
Top Field Finishers
Hammer: Adalien Santa Maria – 115' 01" | All-GSAC
Javelin: Cheney Gomez – 117' 06" | GSAC Champion
Discus: Sedona Dietrich – 123' 01" | All-GSAC
Shot Put: Sedona Dietrich – 35' 04" | All-GSAC
Pole Vault: McKenna Rogers – 9' 10" | GSAC Champion
Long Jump: Rylan Rhodes – 17'05.25"| GSAC Champion
High Jump: Avery Burns – 4' 09.5" 
Triple Jump: Goldyn Hall – 34' 05" | All-GSAC
 
Next On the Schedule
Those who have qualified will now prepare for the NAIA Track & Field Championships which will be held in Ashville, NC at the Karl Straus track facility May 20-22.
Roll Storm!