GULF SHORES, Ala. (macbulldogs.com) --- Junior Brandt Wolters (Osborne, Kan., Osborne HS) earned his third All-America honor in the javelin throw Thursday evening as the 2018 National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Outdoor Track and Field Championships got underway at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium.

Wolters - the defending national runner-up - uncorked a throw of 59.86 meters (196-5) on his first attempt and advanced to the final but was unable to improve on the mark and finished eighth overall. He also owns a third-place national finish from his freshman year. Freshman Derek Naegele (Portis, Kan., Osborne HS) finished 17th after clearing 53.19 meters (174-6) on his final attempt.

McPherson's men's and women's 4x100-meter relay squads also competed Thursday, taking the track after waiting out a 45-minute weather delay just prior to the start of the track program. The Bulldog women ran first with the quartet of Miaya Sample (Houston, Texas, Barbers Hill HS), Destiny Johnson (Arlington, Texas, Mansfield Summit HS), Diamond Blaylock-Norris (Flower Mound, Texas, University of Alabama) and Amy Braimbridge (Connolly, Australia, St. Stephens School) taking fifth in their heat - and 15th overall - with a time of 48.03 seconds.

In the men's race, the McPherson quartet of Matthew Bouwkamp (Broken Arrow, Okla., Lincoln Christian HS), Xavier Taylor (Waynesville, Mo., Waynesville HS), Myles Sample (Houston, Texas, Barbers Hill HS) and Hunter Sury (Katy, Texas, Katy HS) overcame an early deficit and came home third in probably the most-competitive of the four preliminary heats. The Bulldogs' time of 41.41 seconds broke the school record set at the Bethel Invitational in mid-April and allowed the squad to claim the final transfer spot to Saturday's final.

Braimbridge and Sury return to the track Friday afternoon. Sury will run in the 100 dash prelims at 3:10 p.m. followed immediately by Braimbridge in the 400 prelims at 3:30 p.m.

Dylan Templeman (Princeton, Texas, Princeton HS) will also compete in the discus throw beginning at 5 p.m.

Through three of 24 events, the McPherson men are tied for 20th place with one point.
  Thursday, May 24
2:30 p.m. - Women's 4x100 Trials (Blaylock-Norris, Braimbridge, Johnson, Sample) -- 48.03 (5th in heat; DNQ for final)
3:00 p.m. - Men's 4x100 Trials (Bouwkamp, Taylor, Sample, Sury, Heisser) -- 41.41 (3rd in heat; adv. to final)
5:30 p.m. - Men's Javelin Throw -- Brandt Wolters, 8th (59.86m; 196-5), All-American; Derek Naegele, 17th (53.19m; 174-6) 
Friday, May 25
3:10 p.m. - Men's 100-Meter Dash Trials (Sury)
3:30 p.m. - Women's 400-Meter Dash Trials (Braimbridge)
5:00 p.m. - Men's Discus Throw (Templeman)
Saturday, May 26 (adjusted May 23) 
6:00 a.m. - Marathon (Dominguez, Freeman)
1:50 p.m. - Men's 4x100-Meter Relay Final
3:00 p.m. - Men's 100-Meter Dash Final
3:30 p.m. - Women's 400-Meter Dash Final