Sparked by six first-place showings, the William Woods men's track and field squad began the outdoor season with a team title at the Culver-Stockton Wildcat Open on Saturday.
The Owls tallied 157 points in besting the field.
Junior Alonzo Findlay accounted for half of those individual honors, winning the shot put (14.13 meters), the discus (40.05) and the hammer throw (44.54).
Freshman Darrien Dickey - competing in his first outdoor event - won the long jump with a leap of 6.47 meters, while prevailing in the triple jump with a distance of 13.41.
Senior Nick Zink bested the field in the 800-meter run with a winning time of 1 minute, 57.16 seconds.
Junior Adam Smith's second-place throw in the discus (38.73 meters) was a personal best. He also garnered second place in the shot put with a mark of 13.61 meters.
Junior Rhett Cook broke his previous best time in the 100-meter dash with a third-place time of :11.1.
The William Woods women used a trio of first-place finishes to claim second in the team standings. The Lady Owls logged 126 points, trailing only champion Mount Mercy University (179).
Freshman Alliah McClendon won the women's 100-meter hurdles and became William Woods' first NAIA national qualifier. McClendon's time of :15.04 hit the NAIA "B' standard.
Freshman Madelyn Scrivner prevailed in the discus and shot put to account for the Lady Owls' other first-place efforts. Scrivner defeated the discus field with a result of of 32.89 meters and won the shot put with a heave of 11.56. Scrivner took second in the hammer throw in 39.11 meters.
Freshman Grace Young earned second in the 1,500-meter (5:05.47) and third in the 800 (2:33.88). Junior Petra Bethea's third-place showing of 1:02.12 in the 400-meter run was a new personal best.
Both squads return to action this Friday and Saturday at the Central Methodist Invitational in Fayette.