By Becca Gillespy

Lindenwood University's men's track and field team successfully defended their national title Saturday at the NAIA Indoor Track and Field National Championships.

The men won with a score of 94.5 beating Virginia Intermont who scored 81 points. The men finished the day with five individual event champions.

The women placed fourth with a score of 56 points. Missouri Baptist ran away with the team title, scoring 172 points.

The men clinched the title with strong performances in the triple jump and shot put. After the 4x400 relay, the last track event, Lindenwood was down to Virginia Intermont by 12.5 points. The triple jump and shot put were not yet completed, and Lindenwood was able to use these events to their advantage to take the title. Junior James Jenkins was able to successfully defend his indoor triple jump title from 2004. Freshman Carlos Mattis was in eighth place coming into the finals, but was able to improve to third place on his last jump. Senior Kelley Jackson wwas leading the shot put after the prelimnary round, and was able to improve his lead in the finals to take the victory.

Lindenwood's sprinters were strong as usual. Junior Mike Rodgers won the 60 meter dash with a meet record time of 6.72 and won the 200 with a time of 21.07. Senior Haddow Weatherborne was able to overcome cramps which caused him to collapse in the 400 meter run, and place second in the 200 meter dash. Freshman Rascive grant placed third in the 60 meter dash with a time of and fifth in the 200 meter dash.

Freshman Aron Rono successfully completed a tough distance double, winning the mile in 4:11.37 and placing second in the 3000 meter run with a time of 8:24.33.

Freshman Latoya Heath broke the existing meet record in the triple jump to take the victory. Freshman Anna-Kay Campbell was second in the high jump.