Maple Leafs compete at NAIA national championships

Goshen College made its 27th consecutive appearance at the NAIA Indoor Track & Field National Championships, held for the first time in Florida at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center at Celebration Pointe in Gainesville from February 27 to March 1. Charlie Aldrich, Jordan Garlinger, Anthony Roberts, Kevin Liddell, and Bruno Kipsang represented the men’s team, while Mercy Chebet and Stephany Claudio competed for the women. Head coach Rustin Nyce and associate head coach Lisa Voyles accompanied the athletes.

On Thursday, the men’s team of Jordan Garlinger, Charlie Aldrich, Kevin Liddell and Bruno Kipsang came in fifth in their heat and 21st of 25 overall with a 7:51.88 time. Then, on Friday, Anthony Roberts represented the men’s team in two different races. He started in the men’s mile prelim, starting strong but finishing in 20th place with a 4:26.79 time. Later in the afternoon, he competed in the 1,000 meters. He came in sixth in his heat and 16th out of 20 overall with a 2:31.63 time, not far from the school record mark of 2:29.73 set by Sam Chege in 2009.

Mercy Chebet and her teammate Stephany Claudio competed in the 3,000-meter race, though they were in different heats. The top four from each heat would automatically qualify, plus the four next fastest times. Claudio came in tenth in heat one with a 10:59.25 time. Chebet came in sixth in heat two at 10:19.50 time. When it was all said and done, Chebet had the third-fastest time after the automatic qualifiers and earned a spot in the final. In the final on Saturday, she finished 12th with a time of 10:38.03.

Goshen starts the outdoor season on Saturday, March 22, at the IWU Polar Bear Classic in Marion, Indiana.