Two individuals who have battled over the course of the past two NCAA Division III Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Championships put together another classic showdown in the 400-meter run Saturday (May 24).

Illinois Wesleyan University's Rachel Anderson held off a late charge from Wartburg College's (Iowa) Hannah Baker at the finish line to win the national title.

Anderson, the runner-up in 2007, took the top-spot on the awards stand in a NCAA Division III season's best and J.J. Keller Field at Titan Stadium record time of 54.35. Baker, fourth-place a year ago, was runner-up by the smallest of margins, ending in a time of 54.40. The College of New Jersey's Jessica Bonelli took third-place in a time of 55.61. Bonelli joined Anderson and Baker in repeating All-American honors.

Rounding out the top-five, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Liz Kooistra was fourth-place in a time of 55.68 and Ithaca College's (N.Y.) Marcia McCord was fifth-place in a time of 55.92.

Capturing All-American accolades were Staci Jackson from Texas Lutheran University in a sixth-place time of 56.00, Kristin Forbes of Rhodes (Tenn.) in a seventh-place mark of 56.10 and Renee Thompson of Wheaton College (Mass.) in an eighth-place showing of 57.48.