SOU REMAINING SCHEDULE (All times Pacific)
THURSDAY'S EVENTS
8 a.m. – Women's Heptathlon Day 2 (Stevens)
3 p.m. – Men's Discus final (Mitchell)
3:45 p.m. – Women's 5K prelims (Johnson, Lopez)
4:35 p.m. – Men's 5K prelims (Maciel, Weisgerber)
FRIDAY'S EVENTS
10 a.m. – Men's Pole Vault final (Le Bel)
11 a.m. – Women's High Jump final (Stevens)
1:30 p.m. – Women's 5K final (Johnson, Lopez)
1:55 p.m. – Men's 5K final (Maciel, Weisgerber)

MEET CENTRAL

MARION, Ind. – Southern Oregon's Andrew Mitchell checked off another top-three finish in the javelin and Abi Stevens put herself in the mix for a heptathlon title as the NAIA Outdoor Championships began Wednesday at the Indiana Wesleyan Track & Field Complex.

Mitchell, last year's national runner-up in the javelin, placed third in his final go-round to garner All-America honors for the third consecutive season. Stevens put up what was easily the best first-day score of her career with 3,121 points through four of seven disciplines, settling into third place and sitting just 47 back of first.

On the track, Alejandra Lopez placed 10th in the women's 10,000-meter race for the second year in a row with a time of 37 minutes 5.05 seconds that left her five seconds outside of the top-eight. Cammeo Ramirez was 21st in the same race with a time of 38:50.15, and Jalen Griego placed 30th in the men's 10K at 32:12.21.

Mitchell, a senior from San Diego, threw over 205 feet on all six of his attempts, and his best of the series went 215-10 in the finals. David Friedberg of Reinhardt (Ga.) captured his third straight championship with a mark of 235-10, clearing the field by nearly 15 feet.

Mitchell joined Gary Berentsen (1964-66) as the only Raiders in men's team history to attain All-America status three times in the javelin. He'll also appear in Thursday's discus as the No. 17 seed.

Stevens, hunting her 10th overall top-eight finish, eclipsed her previous best Day 1 score in the heptathlon by a margin of 195 points; for comparison's sake, she stood in seventh place after Day 1 with 2,776 points last year before climbing to fourth on Day 2.

The junior – likely appearing on the national stage for the last time ahead as she is lined up to graduate – did it by posting personal bests in three of four disciplines: the 100 hurdles (14.86 seconds), 200 (25.52) and shot put (34-7 ¼). In the high jump, she cleared 5-7 for the first time in two years.

Renee Finke of Central Methodist (Mo.) has the lead with 3,168 points, and Cascade Conference champion Rebecca Dutchak of British Columbia (B.C.) is second with 3,157. Competition resumes at 8 a.m. PDT Thursday.

In addition to Mitchell and Stevens, the Raiders will also be represented Thursday by Lopez and Alyssa Johnson in the women's 5K prelims and Frankie Maciel and Mason Weisgerber in the men's 5K prelims.

SOU MEN'S RESULTS
10,000m (35 total entries)
30. Jalen Griego, 32:12.21

Javelin (28)
3. Andrew Mitchell, 65.79m (215-10)

SOU WOMEN'S RESULTS
10,000m (28 total entries)
10. Alejandra Lopez, 37:05.05
21. Cammeo Ramirez, 38:50.15

Heptathlon Day 1 (16)
3. Abi Stevens, 3,121
100m Hurdles – 14.86 (860); High Jump – 1.70m (855); Shot Put – 10.55m (566); 200m – 25.52 (840)