EOU's Bragg snags Red Lion honors

EOU'S BRIAN BRAGG ran a lifetime best 4:19.78 in the men's mile at the the Bronco Classic. EOU ATHLETICS

Eastern Oregon University track and field distance runner Brian Bragg was named the Red Lion Cascade Collegiate Conference men's indoor track athlete of the week.

Bragg receives the award for the first time in his career.  

The senior ran a lifetime best of 4:19.78 in the men's mile, nearly seven seconds faster than his previous top time. 

The senior won the second heat of the Bronco Classic with the third best indoor mile time in EOU history.

Bragg finished eighth in the 25-participant field, which featured many NCAA Div. 1 runners. 

He hit an NAIA auto-mark in his first race of the season.

Alma Garcilazo alsog hit a NAIA Indoor National Championship auto-qualifying mark at the meet. Garcilazo ran to a fifth-place finish in the women's 800 meters. The junior's time of 2:16.35 qualifies her for the national championship meet for the fourth straight year.

And Karlee Coffey met the women's mile NAIA Indoor National Championship provisional-qualifying standard of 5:13.40 with a time of 5:13.33. 

The junior also ran the first 800-meter race of her career, turning in a time of 2:29.52.

Bragg, Garcilazo and the rest of the Mountaineers return to the track Saturday at the Boise State University Team Challenge.