May 27, 2003

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Eleven members of the Southeast Missouri State University track and field team will compete in a total of 16 events at the NCAA Mid-East Regional championships on Friday and Saturday at Ohio State University.

"We are really excited about participating in the first-ever NCAA regional meet," said Southeast coach Joey Haines. "This meet has given a lot of athletes something to shoot for and it just like qualifying for regional competition in the other sports. Our athletes have a chance to earn a spot in the NCAA finals in head to head competition and that's the way it should be. The Mid-East regional is by far the toughest in the nation, but we are just happy to be there with a good representation of athletes."

The top five place winners from each region in each event automatically qualify for the NCAA finals June 11-14 in Sacramento, Calif. Six more competitors in each event will come from the top marks turned in nationally this season.

Senior Shelton Scott will lead the Southeast men's team, ranking as one of the top entries in the long and triple jumps. Scott's school record jump of 25-feet 6 ¼-inches in the long jump ranks as the 14th best jump in the nation this season and is the fifth best jump in the Mid-East region. His triple jump of 52-2 ranks 19th nationally and 11th in the Mid-East region.

"Scott has a chance to qualify for the nationals even if he doesn't place in the top five, but his goal is to certainly place in the top five and have a chance to win each event at the regional meet," Haines said.

Other entries for the Southeast men include Jay Heddell and Brandon Myer in the shot put and discus and Chad Sierman in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. Pole vaulter Jordan Willi qualified for regional competition but will not compete because of an injury.

In the regional field, Heddell ranks 10th in the shot put and 15th in the discus while Myer is 20th in the shot put and 25th in the discus.

Heather Jenkins, who placed 15th nationally in the discus last year as a true freshman will lead the Southeast women. She currently ranks 12th regionally in both the shot put and discus.

"Heather is just a big throw away from again being one of the top throwers in the nation," Haines said. "Courtney Haman is also just a big throw away from being near the top in the javelin."

Haman's best throw of 153-9 ranks eighth regionally. She is ranked 14th regionally in the high jump.

Other entries for the Southeast women will include Laura VanHoevelaak in the 400-meter hurdles, Lyndsey Stevenson in the 100-hurdles, Hannah Stuckenschneider in the 400, and Brooke Woodruff in the 800. The 1600-meter relay team of VanHoevelaak, Stuckenschneider, Woodruff and LaQuita Andrews ranks 12th regionally.

The 400-meter relay team also qualified for regional competition but will not run because of an injury to Rose Fulton. Pole vaulter Michelle Jett is also qualified but will not compete at Ohio State.