April 18, 2002

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.- After a strong performance in last week's Mississippi State Invitational, Southeast Missouri State University's men's and women's track teams will compete in the Pace Setter Invitational at Indiana State on Saturday.

Top teams at the meet will include Marquette, Eastern Illinois, Southern Illinois-Carbondale, Indiana State and Southeast Missouri.

"This will be another good test for our athletes," said coach Joey Haines. "We really don't concentrate on team results at a meet like this, we just hope to qualify some individuals for the NCAA championships and get everybody ready for the OVC championships. I was pleased that last Saturday our women's team was able to beat Mississippi, Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State, Louisiana Tech and Memphis while finishing second behind Southwest Missouri. Our men's team finished fourth but still beat Mississippi, Southern Mississippi and Memphis."

Haines feels several Southeast athletes are on the verge of at least provisionally qualifying for the NCAA championships. Jaret Willi cleared 17-feet in the pole vault last week which was just short of the qualifying height of 17-2. Laura VanHoevelaak in the 400-meter hurdles, Shelton Scott in the triple jump and Heather Jenkins in the discus are all closing in on qualifying performances.

Jay Heddell has already provisionally qualified in the shot put but hopes to better his OVC best of 58-feet 9 ½-inches. Heddell also has the best discus throw in the OVC this year at 170-feet 10-inches.