1979 AIC-NAIA DISTRICT 17 TRACK AND FIELD RESULTS University of Central Arkansas Ouachita Baptist University University of Arkansas-Monticello HARDING UNIVERSITY Henderson State University Arkansas Tech University College of the Ozark, Southern Arkansas University Hendrix College 68 58 36 34 29 Yz 20 12 VI 8 6 ,s"end four to nationals 5.ome outstanding record-setting times and distances were recorded by Harding trackmen during the 1979 track season. However, the team efforts often faltered, leaving a noticeable lack of first place finishes in meets. The outlook for the Bisons was promising during the winter indoor season, with Harding making a strong second place showing in the Ale. In that February 5th contest five tracksters qualified for the NAlA national championships. Three of those competed in field events - pole vaulters Perry Fraley of Scottsdale, Arizona and ¥ike Lynch of Bevins, Texas and high jumper Bruce Gaither of Conway. The trio and the team looked ready to win the AIC outdoor crown, but as the outdoor season progressed, team victories came less often than record-breaking individual performances. Some meets, however, were disappointingly close losses for the Bisons, like the March 27 triangular affair against the University of Arkansas-Monticello and Southern Arkansas University . Harding, on the strength of six first and seven second places led UAM early in the meet, but the Weevils took first and second in the shot to win the meet along with the aid of a mile relay win. In April at the Memphis State Relays, an event so full of NCAA teams that Harding did not expect to contend team-wise, Bruce Baldwin of Jacksonville, Ill inois claimed fourth and a new school triple- jump record with a leap of 49-8 V2. Senior Phil Hostetler added his own 5000-meter run school record with a time of 14:58.1 . Record performances continued in the AIC Championships in Searcy May 4-5 as the top four pole vaulters topped the old conference mark of 15-5. Harding had three of the first five spots with Lynch winning at 16-0 and Fraley in second. Yet , even with the second highest number of qualifiers in the finals with 16, Harding just managed a fourth place finish. From the AIC meet Lynch and Fraley., along with Don Thurman in the triple jump and Randy Jackson in the 1500-meter run, went on to the NAIA national meet at Abilene Christian University. 113 Track and Field
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