LA GRANDE, Ore. – When it comes to the talented core of multi-event athletes of the Corban University men's and women's track & field programs, school records seem to be reestablished at every new meet. That was again the case at Thursday and Friday's Cascade Collegiate Conference (CCC) Multi-Event Championships, as Michael Schmidt (6763 points) smashed his own school record to claim Corban's first-ever CCC Title in the decathlon.

DECATHLON RESULTS

HEPTATHLON RESULTS

"It was a great meet for our athletes," said head coach Norm Berney. "It was a tremendous effort, despite having to overcome three lightning delays. We saw personal-records, solidified national rankings, and set two more school records." 

Schmidt finished in the top-three of all 10 events, claiming first in the 400 meters (50.09 seconds), the javelin throw (157'6") and the 1500 meters (4:30.80). He stands at No. 2 on the combined events national performance list.

On the women's side, Valerie Schmidt also broke her own program record, finishing as the CCC runner-up in the heptathlon after her 4620-point effort. That would've become the No. 1 mark in the entire NAIA if it hadn't been for Eastern Oregon's Paige Dodd, who claimed both the CCC Championship and the No. 1 spot on the national performance list with her point tally of 4826. Regardless, Schmidt has solidified her place at the NAIA Track & Field Championships, where she will almost certainly square off with Dodd again.

Reagan Shira, who would serve as the top multi-event athlete at almost any NAIA other program in the country, finished second behind Schmidt in the decathlon. Shira ended the two-day meet with 6465 points (personal-best), a whopping 471 points better than the third-place finisher. Shira took first in the long jump (22'5"), shot put (39' 6.5"), 110-meter hurdles (16.46 seconds), and discus (118' 8").

Each member of the talented trio has earned a provisional qualification to the NAIA Track & Field National Championships, which will take place on May 23-25 in Gulf Shores, Ala. Both Michael Schmidt and Shira competed at the event last year, with the duo undoubtedly seeking to climb to new heights in 2019. Valerie Schmidt would be participating in the first NAIA Championships of her young career, yet another addition to one of the most impressive rookie résumés in Corban track & field history.

Now that the CCC Combined Events have passed, the rest of the Corban men's and women's track & field teams will take center stage, with tomorrow's Clackamas Invite serving as the final major tune-up before the CCC Championships on May 10-11.