NORMAL, Ill. – Junior Kristen Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) defended her title in the women's 10,000 meters, wrapping up the first day of competition at the 2015 Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championship for the Bradley men's and women's track & field teams with the individual title as the Braves had three of the top four finishers in the event.
Busch, who won the 10,000 meter title at last year's MVC Championship, took top honors again in the event to become the eighth two-time 10,000 meter champ in Valley history. She crossed the line at 34:52.70 to finish almost eight seconds ahead of second-place finisher Nicole Lucas of Indiana State.
Twin sister Caitlin Busch (Waterloo, Ill./Freeburg) also earned All-MVC honors, taking third in the 10,000 meters with a time of 35:20.07. Junior Rosie Hiles (Hampshire, England/Alton College/University of Birmingham) was close behind in fourth at 35:29.59 as the trio combined for 21 points and the Bradley women's team finish day one of the MVC Championship third in the team standings behind Southern Illinois (29 points) and Wichita State (28 points). Hiles, who made her debut in the 10,000 meters Friday night, became the fifth individual in program history to break 35 minutes in the 10,000 meters.
In the women's 1,500 meters, junior Emily Delvo (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) will have a chance to defend her MVC outdoor crown in the event after winning her heat in the event Friday afternoon at Illinois State. Delvo crossed the line at 4:37.52 to claim individual honors in her heat and earn a spot in Sunday afternoon's finals.
On the men's side, a pair of Braves earned a spot in Sunday's finals of the 1,500 meters. Sophomore Daniel Gagne (Wauwatosa, Wis./East) took second in his heat and clocked the second-best time of the day with a time of 3:52.30, while sophomore Mike Bianchina (Geneva, Ill./Geneva) also earned a spot in Sunday's 1,500 meter finals by finishing third in his heat at 3:58.39.
Earlier in the day, junior Elizabeth Dutcher (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) finished 12th in the javelin with a season-best toss of 35.17 meters and also posted a career-best time of 26.08 seconds in the 200 meters to finish 25th. Her time in the 200 meters was the best at Bradley since 2005.
Saturday's action at the 2015 MVC Outdoor Track & Field Championship has been moved up two hours due to forecasted inclement weather. The Braves will start Saturday's competition with the women's 400 meters. The highlights of the day for Bradley will include the 800 meter prelims at 4 p.m. and the 3,000 meter steeplechase at 5 p.m.
