CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- Senior Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) added a pair of all-conference honors to her collection with strong showings in both the 800 meters and mile, while freshman Michael Ward (Cardiff, South Wales/Llanishen) was second in the men's 3,000 meters to help highlight the final day of competition for the Bradley men's and women's track and field teams at the Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championships Sunday.
In addition to Delvo and Ward's efforts, junior Kristen Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) took third in the women's 3,000 meters and twin sister Caitlin Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) was right behind her in fourth to help highlight Sunday's action for the Braves as they helped the Bradley women collect a school record 47 points at the Valley Indoor Championship to finish seventh.
The 2014 MVC 800 meter champ at both the indoor and outdoor conference meets last year, Delvo got the day started on a good note with a second-place finish in the mile. Delvo clocked a career-best time of 4:54.74 for the fourth-best time in school history. Later in the day, she finished third in the 800 meters with a time of 2:11.99 to capture the fifth all-conference honor of her track career.
On the men's side, sophomore Mike Bianchina (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) finished sixth at 4:17.16 after advancing to Sunday's finals with the second fastest time in the field in Saturday's prelims.
After finishing first and second in the 5,000 meters Saturday night, the Busch twins were both in contention for top honors again in the 3,000 meters Sunday. Kristen took three seconds off her career-best time, crossing the line in third at 9:37.62. She was less than three seconds behind 3,000 meter champ Kelly McShea of Illinois State and just two seconds off Mary Ellen Hill's 1999 school-record pace. Caitlin, who won the 5,000 meter title Saturday night, followed Kristen in fourth at 9:47.60 for a career-best time of her own.
Ward posted the best individual finish for the Bradley men in their first MVC Indoor Championship since 1992 with a second-place showing in the 3,000 meters. The school record holder in the mile and 3,000 meters, Ward challenged Indiana State's All-American John Mascari for top honors in the 3,000 meters, finishing three seconds back of Mascari in second at 8:17.66.
The Bradley men, which finished with 24 points for the team's highest point total at the MVC Indoor Championship since 1982 (26 points), wrapped up the weekend with an eighth-place finish in the 4x400 meter relay.
The Bradley men's and women's track and field teams are slated to open the 2015 outdoor season March 27 & 28 at the Vanderbilt Black & Gold in Nashville, Tenn.
