The men’s and women’s track and field teams took eight athletes to the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships March 5-7 in Geneva, Ohio, and brought home three athletes with All-American honors.

The track and field team held up its end of the bargain in first-year coach Tim Byers’ mind.

“You know what the expectations are,” Byers said. “We want them to go in there and have a great experience and, mostly, we want them to come out All-Americans.”

The three athletes who became All-Americans were senior thrower Josh Peck, freshman cross country runner and race walker Brenda McCollum and senior sprinter Ty Sloan.

Peck placed seventh in the men’s weight throw with a distance of 17.28 meters. McCollum participated in the women’s 3000-meter race walk and placed eighth with a time of 14:52.

Sloan competed in the women’s 60-meter hurdles and finished eighth with a time of 8.94 seconds.

“It’s always a blessing to make it to the podium because so many people don’t even get a chance to compete in the national meet,” Sloan said. “It makes me really excited for the outdoor season, team-wise and individually, and hopefully we can bring home more All-Americans.”

Among other Baker national qualifiers, sophomore Tyson Robke placed 11th in the men’s heptathlon, and junior Avery Parker placed 10th in the men’s triple jump. Senior Paige Rockers took 18th in the women’s triple jump, while freshman Caitlin Apollo competed in the 3000-meter race walk with McCollum and finished 17th with a time of 17:12.74 seconds. Freshman Kendall Holloman participated in the women’s pole vault competition, but did not land a successful vault.

These eight athletes and the rest of the men’s and women’s track and field teams are hoping to take this momentum into the outdoor season which will begin on March 28 in Pittsburg at the Pitt State invite. Baker will then host the Baker Relays on April 4 at Liston Stadium, beginning at 11 a.m.