April 3, 2002

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - Six men's teams and six women's teams will compete in the 21st annual All Sport Classic on Friday and Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University's Abe Stuber Track & Field Complex.

The women's and men's hammer throw competition will begin at 5 p.m. Friday with the remainder of the events beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday.

Arkansas State, Murray State, Southern Illinois-Carbondale, Southeast Missouri and Western Illinois will have both men's and women's teams while Tennessee State will enter only a men's team and Tennessee-Martin only a women's team. Teams will compete for the men's title, the women's title and the combined title. Last season Southwest Missouri won the women's and combined titles while Southeast Missouri won the men's title.

"I think we should have great competition in both the men's and women's meets," said Southeast coach Joey Haines who is in his 20th season as All Sport meet director. "In the women's meet I think Southeast can challenge for the title, but Western Illinois has great team depth and SIU and Arkansas State both have good squads. It should be very close.

"In the men's competition, Western Illinois has a lot of depth, Murray State is strong in the distance races and Southeast Missouri has the ability to win a lot of events. The meet should go to the final event, the 4 X 400 relay, to determine the winner."

One of the top events of the meet could be the women's 400-meters where Southeast Missouri's OVC indoor champion Hannah Stuckenschneider will go against two talented runners in Kristin Owens of Western Illinois and Marian Appiah-Kubi of SIU. Owens has timed 55.01 this season, Stuckenschneider has time 55.67 and Appiah-Kubi 56.16.

One of the most talented competitors in the meet will be Western Illinois' Amber Crumbo who has the best throw entered in the hammer throw, shot put and discus. She will be challenged by talented Southeast freshman Heather Jenkins who has the best shot and discus throws in the OVC this season.

The 400-meters for men will include the top three in the Ohio Valley Conference. Nick Horton of Tennessee State has the best time in the OVC this year at 47.98 while Jason Campbell of Southeast is second with a time of 48.52 and Michael Bobo of Southeast is third at 49.43.

Southeast has two defending champions in the women's competition including Megan Youse in the shot put and Courtney Haman in the javelin, Defending champions for the Southeast men include Jaret Willi in the pole vault and Glenn Haley in the 110-meter hurdles. Another defending champion, Tyson Brown in the 800-meters, will not run on Saturday because of a hamstring injury.