STANFORD, Calif. – Embry-Riddle women's track and field senior Ellie Staker ran at arguably the premier distance-running track meet in the country on Saturday evening when she competed at Stanford University's Payton Jordan Invitational.
 
Staker ran against some the nation's elite middle distance runners from both the NCAA I and professional levels on Saturday as she competed in both the 800m and 1500m.
 
The Seattle, Wash native ran the best 800m of her career as she finished the race in a personal best time of 2:04.91.  Her time in the 800m was a full second faster than she ran at the University of Florida last week and is the best time in the NAIA this season.  Staker was the fifth overall finisher in her section, which included Oklahoma State University's Kaela Edwards, who was the runner up in the 800m at the NCAA Indoor National Championships.
 
Staker also set a career mark in the 1500m as she crossed the finish line in a personal best and NAIA "A" standard time of 4:17.03.  She finished seventh in the event and was just one of two NAIA runners to compete in the race.
 
Staker will return to action in just a few weeks when she and many more Eagles head to Gulf Shore, Ala. for the 2015 NAIA Outdoor National Championships.  She won the 800m at the Indoor National Championships in March and will look to do the same at outdoor nationals.
 
Click HERE for complete results from the Payton Jordan Invitational.