Feb. 20, 2003

CAPE GIRARDEAU - The University of Alabama-Birmingham, Murray State and Tennessee-Martin will challenge the Southeast Missouri State University women's track team in a quadrangular meet on Friday at the Student Recreation Center. The Southeast men will face Murray State in a dual meet. The field events begin at 4 p.m. Friday with the first running event scheduled for 6 p.m. "Our athletes really like to compete at home and this should be a good test for our women," said Southeast coach Joey Haines. "Our men will be heavy favorites over Murray State, but there should be some good competition in the throws and the distance events." UAB has an outstanding sprinter and jumper in Theresa Smith who will challenge Southeast's Meleisa Greene in the sprints and long jump and Lyndsay Stevenson in the hurdles. Smith will be attempting to qualify for the NCAA championships in the 55-meters. Heather Jenkins of Southeast will be favored in the shot put and 20-pound weight throw. She has the best marks in the OVC in both events and has already established a new Southeast weight throw record of 56-0 ½. She has thrown 48-0 ½ in the shot put. Murray State's Jamie Nurnberger is also one of the top throwers in the OVC. The women's weight throw begins at 4 p.m. Freshman Michele Jett will lead a talented group of Southeast pole vaulters. She has cleared 10-6 this season. Other Southeast vaulters will include Megan Rosenkoetter, Becky Komerech, Lori Sarantakis and Renee Herzog. Jay Heddell, a provisional NCAA qualifier in the shot put, will be challenged by teammate Brandon Meyr and Murray State's Brian Knippen. They have the top three throws in the OVC this season led by Heddell's personal best of 58-8. Southeast freshman high jumper Andrew Lambert has the best jump in the OVC this season at 6-8 ¼ and Shelton Scott has the top marks in the long and triple jumps. Brooke Woodruff and Kaci Pilcher will lead a talented group of Southeast distance runners, but freshman distance ace Lindsay Zeiler will not run because of a minor leg injury.