The Lindenwood University women opened the final day of the NAIA track and field championships in second  place. But watch out for their coutnerparts from McKendree on Saturday.

The trio of Shelinda Brackett (Riverview Gardens, former state champ), Lanece Clarke (Bahamas) and Kimberly Spencer (two-time Illinois champ from Pinckneyville) combined for 17 points, McKendree’s entire total in the meet. The threesome has a chance to make the 200 final and already is in the 4X100.

What an odd combination: one from a large, urban school; the second an international student; the third just a small-town girl. The formula has proved a winning combination at McKendree, located in Lebanon, IL.

Coach Gary White noted that the mix had led to five national team titles since 1999.

“Kimberly knows our tradition and is a good fit,” White said. “Once you start winning, you keep attracting athletes who hear about us and want to win. The word gets out.”

Other performances of note Friday:

• Tyrell Cuffee, a junior from King College in Bristol, Tenn., also successfully defended his title in the men’s 100 meters, winning in 10.41.
• The Concordia women took first, third and eighth in the discus, gaining 19 points and moving into third overall.
• Race walkers from the University of British Columbia swept the events. Nicola Evanglista won the women’s 3,000-meters in 14:54:51; Inaki Gomez took the men’s 5,000 meters in 20:40:11.
  Natasha Miller of BIOLA (Calif.) won the women’s heptathlon with 5,204 points.
• Sophomore Chad Smith of Concordia (Calif.) won the men’s shot put with a throw of 18.71 meters (61 feet, 4½ inches).
• Scott Gill of Taylor University (Ind.) set a meet record in the long jump, winning with a leap of 7.44 meters (24-5).
• Johnathan Hilton of Oklahoma Baptist won the decathlon with 7,233 points.