April 23, 2003

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Eight members of the Southeast Missouri State University women's track team and four members of the men's track team will compete in the prestigious Drake Relays on Friday and Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Ia.

Drake officials say a record 9,359 athletes, representing 781 teams will participate in the 94th running of the Drake Relays that will attract another sell-out crowd of over 18,000 at Drake Stadium on Saturday.

The Southeast women have been accepted in seven events. Laura VanHoevelaak will be in the 400-meter hurdles, Lyndsey Stevenson in the 100-hurdles, Courtney Haman in the javelin and Heather Jenkins in the discus and shot put will be individual entries. Southeast will also run in the 4X400-meter relay and the sprint medley relay. VanHoevelaak, LaQuita Andrews, Hannah Stuckenschneider and Brooke Woodruff will run on the 4X400 team while Rose Fulton will join Andrews, Stuckenschneider and Woodruff on the sprint medley relay.

The Southeast men will have Jay Heddell and Brandon Myer in the shot put and discus, Shelton Scott in the triple jump and David Herman in the high hurdles.

"Our athletes always look forward to performing in the Drake Relays," said Southeast coach Joey Haines. "It is a great event and it is always a thrill to perform in front of a capacity crowd on Saturday. I am looking forward to some great performances if the weather cooperates."

The weather did not cooperate at last week's Kansas Relays, but Southeast still had some outstanding performances that included KU Relays wins for Stuckenschneider in the 400-meters and Meleisa Greene in the long jump.

Haman, an NCAA regional qualifier in the javelin, had a career best throw of 153-9 at Kansas ranking her second on the all-time javelin list at Southeast. Scott, also an NCAA regional qualifier, had a career best triple jump of 50-9 ½ which is the top jump in the Ohio Valley Conference this season.

Greene and several other members of the Southeast men's and women's track team will compete Saturday in an invitational meet at Murray State.