GULF SHORES, Ala. – The Lindsey Wilson women's track and field team started competition at the NAIA National Championship on Wednesday.

Laila Hardin took to the track and punched her ticket to the final of the 400-meter hurdles. She took seventh place overall with a time of one minute and 03.17 seconds. She took fourth place in her preliminary heat.

Emilija Kusic got off to a great start in the heptathlon, sitting near the middle of the pack in seventh place of the 16 women field after the first four events. She competed in the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200-meter dash.

Kusic finished eighth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.33-seconds. She then tied for tenth in the high jump with a leap of 1.49-meters. The freshman added another tenth place finish in the shot put with a toss of 9.45-meters. She went on to turn in her best finish of the day during the 200-meter dash crossing the finish line in fourth place at 25.59-seconds.

Kerryann Scott, Ty'Nasia Walker, Jahlia McNealy and Kusic competed in the 4x100-meter trials where they narrowly missed out on qualifying for the finals in 11th place. The quartet raced its way to a time of 47.70 seconds.

The Lindsey Wilson men's track and field team did not see action on the first day of competition but begin their championship tomorrow with three Blue Raiders set to compete.

The second day of the NAIA National Championship begins tomorrow at 10 a.m. CT.