By Mason Nesbitt, TMU Sports Information Director

The Master’s University track and field standout Seanna Nalbandyan said early on she believed an All-American honor was within reach this year, her first as a Mustang.

After she finished seventh in the finals of the 400-meter hurdles Saturday at NAIA nationals in Alabama, accomplishing that lofty goal, Mustang coach Zach Schroeder shared what he believes about his star freshman.

“Seanna is the future of track and field at TMU,” he said after Nalbandyan posted a time of 1 minute, 2.74 seconds and became the first Lady Mustang to earn an All-American distinction as a freshman since Karis Frankian in 2013.

“It’s a big deal,” Schroeder said.

The day capped a dynamic opening act for Nalbandyan, who came to Master’s from nearby Canyon High. She crushed TMU’s program record in the 400 hurdles on March 17, then tackled it again at the Golden State Athletic Conference Championship, where she won the conference title in the event.

She finally settled on 1:01.66, her mark at the Oxy Invite earlier this month, as her season best. It was the fourth-fastest time in the NAIA this season entering the association’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama, this week.

Nalbandyan advanced through Thursday’s prelims by winning her heat and finishing with the sixth-fastest time overall. The feat all but guaranteed she’d be an All-American, an honor given to the top eight finishers in each event.

“I feel super blessed to have this opportunity,” Nalbandyan said, “and it feels good to end the season on a good note.”

Elsewhere Saturday, senior Abigail Frankian finished 14th in the final of the 5,000 meters, capping a stellar four-year career in which she advanced to nationals each season.

Frankian wasn’t sure she would make the trip this year after early-season disappointments, but she gathered herself for what she felt was a do-or-die situation at the Bryan Clay Invitational on April 19 in Azusa and raced big. Her time of 17:47.64 was a season best and, more importantly, it hit the NAIA’s B Standard qualifying mark.

Schroeder compared Frankian to a baseball closer at the time because of the mental fortitude she showed.

Earlier Saturday, senior Alec Franco competed in a muggy marathon. Schroeder said the humidity was over 90 percent. Franco finished 33rd, well above his 52nd position entering the race. His time was three hours, seven minutes and 29.77 seconds.

TMU’s other athlete at nationals, sophomore Stephen Pacheco, raced in the men’s 5K prelim on Friday night but did not advance to Saturday’s final.