Marion, IN - The Appalachian Athletic Conference will be well represented this week when 22 athletes participate in the 59th Men's and 30th Women's NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University. The Championship will host 241 programs and over 1400 athletes from the United States and Canada.

Union College will be led by Armond Smith and James Fowler. Smith, the AAC 110 Meter Hurdle Champ, is seeded third in the high hurdle event. He will also line up in the 200 meter dash and 4 x 100 meter relay. Fowler lands in Marion, Indiana as the 3rd ranked 100 meter athlete at 10.44. Fowler will compete in the 200 meter dash and relay also. Marekus Smith, the 2010 AAC Athlete of the Meet, and Santrez Andrews are the final members of the top five ranked 400 meter relay squad.

Montreat College will be represented by three marathon entrants. 2010 AAC 5000 meter Champ, Ben Hall, will tackle the 26.2 miles on Saturday morning. Two Lady Cavaliers will toe the line alongside Hall at 6:00am. Lindsay Mizok and Olivia Mills qualified for the championship with their half marathon efforts this spring. Senior Wilbourn Kosgei will run the men's 5000 meter run semi-final on Friday evening.

Milligan will be lead by sophomore Austin Ellis. Ellis, a two-time NAIA Cross Country All-American, is ranked eighth coming into his 10,000 Meter Run is slated for a Thursday 9:20pm start.  The Buffaloes have three ladies in the championship with 2010 AAC Athlete of the Meet Chelsea Leavell slated to compete in the Discus. Two freshmen women will compete in the 5000 Meter Run, with Heather Exline and Lauren Hubbard, in their first taste of the Outdoor Championsihp. Tanner Payne, 2010 AAC Hammer Throw Champ, will compete in the same event on Thursday afternoon. The final Milligan athlete is Aaron Wood in the men's 800 Meter Run.

Bryan College sends eight men to the Championship. Lead by three time NAIA All-American and 2010 AAC 800 Meter Run Champion Josh Bradley. Bradley will compete in the Men's 800 Meter Run preliminary round on Thursday afternoon. He will also be a key member of the Men's 4 x 800 Meter Relay on the same evening. Leading off the day will be sophomore Bryson Harper, 2010 AAC 1500 Meter Champion, as he runs in the 1500 Meter Run semi-final at 1:55PM. Harper will join Bradley on the relay along with freshmen athletes Jason McLeod and Alex Stephens in the Lion's 7th ranked 4 x 800 Meter Relay squad. Drew Thompson and Colby Smith are alternates for the relay. Thursday night, the 2010 AAC 10k Champion Zach Buffington will run the 25 lap race at 9:20pm. Saturday morning junior Hunter Hall will run alongside the Montreat athletes in his first attempt at the marathon. The race is scheduled to start at 6:00am.

2010 NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championship