May 5, 2006

Cape Girardeau, Mo. - Host Southeast Missouri is the leader in both the men's and women's competition after the first day in the 2006 O'Reilly Track and Field Championships being held at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex.

After the completion of six events on Friday, the Southeast women's team holds a slight lead over second place Eastern Illinois. Southeast scored 56.5 with EIU close behind at 50. Austin Peay is third at 32, followed by Jacksonville State 23.5, Eastern Kentucky 22, Samford 18, Murray State 16, Tennessee State 10, and Tennessee Tech 6.

The Southeast men lead with a score of 80. Eastern Illinois is second with 66, followed by Tennessee State 39, Morehead State 19, Eastern Kentucky 15, Samford 11, and Murray State 4.

Southeast Missouri took a pair of women's first place finishes, two coming in field events. Lindsay Hearne won the javelin with a throw of 130 feet 7 inches. Austin Peay's Jen Pond finished second with at 120-08 while Southeast's Rebecca Martin was third at 120-02.

Southeast's Heather Jenkins edged defending champion Latheria Lewis of Tennessee State for the shot put title. Both athletes had best throws of 47-07, but Jenkins was the winner as she had the second best throw of 46-11.75.

Austin Peay took the top two places in the women's long jump. Sherlonda Johnson had a jump of 19.08, ahead of teammate Leean White's 19-03.25.

Denise Jones was the winner in the high jump at 5-07.00.

Samford's Michelle Brewer was the winner in the first running event of the day, the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 11:08.26. In the final women's event, Angie Simone of Eastern Illinois won the 10,000-meter run with a time of 37:34.46.

Tennessee State's Buford Williams had a big opening day. Williams was first place in both the high jump at 6-08.75 and in the long jump at 25-01.25. TSU took three of the top four places in the long jump with Dominique Rodgers second and Saihou Mbenga fourth. Williams also placed sixth in the javelin throw.

Southeast Missouri sophomore Kevin McNabb won the men's first running of the day with a time of 9:15.37 in the 3000-meter steeplechase.

Morehead State's Brian Babcock won the men's shot put on his final throw with a throw of 51-00.25.

Eastern Illinois Austin Hogue was the champion in the javelin with a throw of 196-01. Defending champion Jason Theodorakos of Southeast Missouri was second at 189-08. Hogue was fourth in the shot put as well.

The men's final event of the evening saw Eastern Illinois' Brad Butler win the 10,000-meter run with a time of 31:53.76, ahead of EKU's Cornelius Chelue 31:56.61.

Action will resume Saturday with finals slated in 13 events for both the men and women. The first event gets underway on Saturday at 11 a.m. and will continue throughout the day with the finals in the 1,600-meter relay at 4 p.m.

ALL RESULTS ARE AVAILABLE AT: Alltraxtiming.com