TRACK AND FIELD / NAIA CHAMPIONSHIP : Azusa Pacific Men Win Their 10th Title

The Azusa Pacific men’s track and field team won the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics outdoor championship Saturday.

And most of it didn’t happen on the track.

Azusa Pacific, which won its 10th title in 12 years, scored 82 points to beat Central State of Ohio by 16 points, and 79 of the points came from field events or competitions that included field events.

Rene Bustamante’s surprising third-place performance in the discus gave Azusa Pacific an insurmountable lead with three events remaining in the meet. “His performance was huge,” Franson said. “He won the shotput, was third in the discus and scored in the hammer throw.”

That added up to 17 points. Tage Peterson’s victory in the long jump and third place in the decathlon added another 16 for Azusa Pacific.

In the women’s competition, Central State won easily with 96 points. Asuza Pacific was sixth with 40 1/2 points.