Milligan College Buffaloes

Johnson City., Tenn. (Jan. 20, 2008) --- Milligan College senior All-American MacKenzie LaBonte (Port Charlotte, Fla.) finished second in the women's 3000 meters with a time of 10:19.80 at the Niswonger Invitational Saturday night on ETSU's Dave E. Walker Track.

LaBonte, who won the mile in last years meet, also anchored the women's national qualifying Distance Medley Relay team and was joined by fellow All-Americans Brittany Bales (Kingsport, Tenn.) and Jacklyn Talbert (Mount Carmel, Tenn.). DMR newcomer Nicole Moore (Boise, Idaho.) got the Lady Buffs off to a solid start with a strong opening 1200 meter leg as the Lady Buffs ran to an A standard mark of 12:37.27.

Sophomore All-American Rebecca McDowell (Mechanicsville, Va.) turned in another strong indoor performance with her fifth place finish in the women's 5,000 meters in an A standard national qualifier of 18:15.93. Junior Ashley Pearce (St. Cloud, Fla.) and senior Erika Fox (Gambrills, Md.) will join McDowell in the 5,000 meters at indoor nationals later this March on the same track. Pearce ran a new lifetime best of 18:25.56 to finish sixth, while Fox followed closely behind in a new lifetime best of 18:25.86 to finish seventh.

Talbert also finished fourth in the women's mile with a time of 5:14.85, also a national qualifier. While Bales joined Talbert in the invitational mile and finished sixth in a new personal best of 5:21.76.

Other Lady Buffs earning personal bests include Moore and Lili Zaldana (Bristol, Tenn.) in the women's 3,000 meters and Shanna Raines (Johnson City, Tenn.) in the women's 800 meters.

Milligan's men also had a solid showing Friday and Saturday. Junior Will Frye (Pulaski, Va.) ran a new lifetime best of 15:54,83 in the men's 5,000 meters, while junior Wegene Degefa (Rochester, N.Y.) bounced back to run 15:51.63 after taking a few weeks off in December for tendonitis in his knee.

Sophomore Aaron Wood (Aurora, Colo.) finished tenth in the men's 800 meters, and freshmen Nathan Bordelon (Kissimmee, Fla.) and Ethan Street (Erwin, Tenn.) recorded new lifetime bests in the 3000 meters and 60 meters, respectively.

"Across the board, we accomplished what we set out to do. I've seen a great deal of improvement in our racing tactics and this is just the first meet of the 2008 season," said head coach Chris Layne.

The young Milligan throws program were also treated to a weekend filled with throws education. Olympic hopeful Sheldon Battle, who won the men's shot put Saturday afternoon in a new meet record, put on a throws clinic for the Milligan throwers all weekend long that included a classroom session, one on one critique, and technical work during the competition.

"We've enjoyed our throwers, and this is an area we certainly want to emphasize," said Layne.