The Grand View women's track field team looks to continue their streak of conference championships this Spring. They are the reigning Midwest Collegiate Conference champions after capturing both the indoor and outdoor conference titles in 2009. Last season marked the third straight outdoor conference championship for the Vikings. Head Coach Jerry Monner has a solid core of returning athletes to lead the way as they work to defend their titles this season.

Sophomore All-American Obsie Birru will once again lead the distance runners this season. She was selected as the MCC outdoor track athlete of the year after winning the 800m, 1500m, 5000m, and 10,000m runs at the outdoor conference championships. Birru also earned All-American honors last season in the 10,000m run for her sixth place finish at the NAIA Championships. Sophomore teammate McKelle Lacher was the indoor conference champion at 800m and ran the lead leg of the national qualifying distance medley relay. She also placed 3rd in both the 800m and 1500m events at the outdoor conference championships.

Grand View University head track and field coach Jerry Monner has announced the hiring of Miradieu Joseph as an assistant coach for the men's and women's track and field programs. He will be in charge of coaching the sprints and hurdles for the Vikings during the 2009-10 school year.

Head Coach Jerry Monner said "We are very excited to have Miradieu joining our coaching staff. He has a winning mentality and he's full of enthusiasm." Monner added "I think he's the perfect fit for our program as we continue to build off the success we've had the past few seasons."

The Viking men's and women's track and field teams were well represented over the weekend at the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in St. Louis, Missouri.

Freshman standout Obsie Birru's (Des Moines, Iowa) sixth place finish in the 10,000m Run (36:58.62) highlighted the meet for Grand View. With the top six finish, Birru earned All-American status.

Birru also competed in the 5,000m Run and placed 15th with a time 18:26.89.

Follow the Vikings as they compete in the NAIA Outdoor Track & Field Championships May 21-23 in St. Louis, MIssouri. Click here for schedule of events and results.

Whitley Schertz (Eddyville-Blakesburg H.S/Blakesburg, Iowa) has signed an athletic letter of intent to compete in volleyball and track & field at Grand View University beginning in the fall of 2009.

Schertz is a six-time class 2A state qualifier in track & field competing in the 4x400m, 4x800m, and Distance Medley relays. As a freshman, she ran the lead leg of the 5th place 4x400m relay and last season as a junior she ran on the 4th place 4x800m relay at the Iowa State Track & Field Championships for the Eddyville-Blakesburg Rockets.

Head Track & Field Coach Jerry Monner said "We're excited to have Whitley joining our program next season. She's a very versatile runner that we'll utilize in multiple open and relay events. She's very experienced having competed at the state meet since her freshman year and she'll give us more depth in the mid-distance events next season."