Hall garners Lion of the Week

Vanguard University senior track and field standout Sarah Hall

achieved three personal bests within the past two weeks and also

broke a 13-year-old school record. In addition, she also qualified in

four events for the NAIA Outdoor Nationals.

She has been named Lion of the Week by the university’s athletic

department.

At the Pomona-Pitzer Invitational April 18, Hall finished fourth

in the 5,000 meters in a field of 81 runners. Her time of 17:31.80

represented a 1:30 improvement over her previous best and was good

enough to shatter a Vanguard record that stood for the past 13 years.

Coincidentally, the runner whose record Hall bettered also has the

last name Hall, Sarah’s mother Sherri. In 1990, the then Sherri Curl

set a Vanguard record, running the 5,000 meters in 17:40.29. The

record time gives the younger Hall an automatic bid to the event at

the NAIA Outdoor Nationals.

A week later at the Golden State Athletic Conference

Championships, Hall again added to her storied career, becoming the

first Vanguard runner to win two distance events at the conference’s

premier event. A 37:30.6 mark in the 10,000 meters eclipsed her

previous best time by 53 seconds and earned her the 10,000 meters

title.

A day later, the Estancia High product staked claim to the 1,500

meters title, posting a personal best time of 4:39.25.

Hall has one more meet before she decides whether to compete in

the 1,500, 5,000, 10,000 meters or the marathon at the NAIA Outdoor

Nationals to be held May 22-24, in Olathe, Kansas.

Last week, Vanguard honored senior Marciea Ball, a pitcher for the

softball team, as the Lion of the Week. During the week, she pitched

a total of 21 1/3 innings for the Lions. She threw two complete games

against GSAC foe Concordia. She produced a one-run game against the

Eagles to guide Vanguard to a 2-1 victory. She then scattered six

hits, allowing two runs, yet Concordia won, 2-0.