Track/Cross Country sweep major MSSU Athletic Awards

Mary Still (Carthage, Mo.) has worked through adversity and disappointment and become a highly-respected and competitive force in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and in NCAA Division II.

She’s a five-time All-America and a two-time national runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles. She maintains GPA that’s near perfect and has not only performed research on a variety of topics, but presented it to audiences from well outside the boundaries of Missouri Southern State University

Still, a senior on the Missouri Southern women’s track & field team, was named the 33rd recipient of the E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award at Tuesday night’s Lionbacker Cookout and Awards Ceremony. The Humphrey Award is given annually to the institution’s outstanding student-athlete.

Still also earned the University’s Outstanding Female Athlete Award for the second year in a row.

Brian Lyons (Purdy, Mo.), a senior on the Missouri Southern men’s track & field team and a former cross country All-America, was named MSSU’s Outstanding Male Athlete.

As a senior in 2004, Still came in seventh in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, repeating her finish from the 2003 indoor season. Also during this past indoor season, she scored in five events and led the Lions to their first ever MIAA track & field championship. For the outdoor season, she currently leads the nation in the 400-meter hurdles and has the only automatic qualifying mark in NCAA Division II. She has also provisionally qualified for the national outdoor meet in two other events, the 200- and 400-meter dashes.

For her career, Still is a six-time MIAA champion, including three years in the indoor 400-meter dash. She’s also won two conference titles outdoors in the 400 hurdles, an event in which she was national runner-up in 2000 and 2003.

Still, twice named MSSU’s Outstanding Psychology Student, was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America choice in 2003 and a third-team honoree in 2001. She will graduate with honors in May with a double major in psychology and English.

The E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award is presented to MSSU’s most outstanding student-athlete in recognition of the highest respect for Missouri Southern, outstanding athletic ability, outstanding leadership, and respect for fellow teammates and students.

Lyons helped the Southern men to their first ever MIAA track & field crown this past indoor season when he won the 3000- and 5000-meter runs at the conference meet and also earned all-league kudos in the mile. He was co-winner of the High Point Individual honor at the conference meet and later earned South Central Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as the indoor campaign wound down.

A former walk-on, Lyons has been an NCAA Division II Cross Country All-America (2002) and he played an integral role in Southern’s run of four straight MIAA cross country championships. In 2002, Lyons won the second of two All-South Central Region honors in cross country and was the MIAA individual champion.

Outside the realm of competition, Lyons serves as MSSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) President and is a member of the MSSU Environmental Health Club. He maintains a 3.343 GPA as an environmental science major.

Both Lyons and Still have been involved in the FCA/YMCA Christmas, Adopt-A-Street program and Special Olympics, among others.

Also on Tuesday, MSSU Athletics Marketing Director Kevin Greim and Lionbacker President Rob Robertson presented wristwatches for Lionbacker Awards of Excellence to a student-athlete in each of Southern’s 14 sports.

Head coaches presented team awards, ranging from team MVP to most improved, and Dr. Virginia Laas, Southern’s faculty athletics representative, presented eight Fifth-Year Enhancement Scholarships.

Members of the MSSU athletics department recognized more than 60 All-MIAA selections for the 2003-04 academic year, including nine all-region selections and four All-Americans. Three coaches of the year and 79 MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll honorees were honored as well.

A total of 70 senior student-athletes were presented with 8x10-inch photographs of themselves in action over the course of their careers as Lions.


	May 4, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Track/Cross Country sweep major MSSU Athletic Awards Senior Mary Still collects E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award Mary Still (Carthage, Mo.) has worked through adversity and disappointment and become a highly-respected and competitive force in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and in NCAA Division II. She’s a five-time All-America and a two-time national runner-up in the 400-meter hurdles. She maintains GPA that’s near perfect and has not only performed research on a variety of topics, but presented it to audiences from well outside the boundaries of Missouri Southern State University Still, a senior on the Missouri Southern women’s track & field team, was named the 33rd recipient of the E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award at Tuesday night’s Lionbacker Cookout and Awards Ceremony. The Humphrey Award is given annually to the institution’s outstanding student-athlete. Still also earned the University’s Outstanding Female Athlete Award for the second year in a row. Brian Lyons (Purdy, Mo.), a senior on the Missouri Southern men’s track & field team and a former cross country All-America, was named MSSU’s Outstanding Male Athlete. As a senior in 2004, Still came in seventh in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, repeating her finish from the 2003 indoor season. Also during this past indoor season, she scored in five events and led the Lions to their first ever MIAA track & field championship. For the outdoor season, she currently leads the nation in the 400-meter hurdles and has the only automatic qualifying mark in NCAA Division II. She has also provisionally qualified for the national outdoor meet in two other events, the 200- and 400-meter dashes. For her career, Still is a six-time MIAA champion, including three years in the indoor 400-meter dash. She’s also won two conference titles outdoors in the 400 hurdles, an event in which she was national runner-up in 2000 and 2003. Still, twice named MSSU’s Outstanding Psychology Student, was a first-team CoSIDA Academic All-America choice in 2003 and a third-team honoree in 2001. She will graduate with honors in May with a double major in psychology and English. The E.O. & Virginia Humphrey Award is presented to MSSU’s most outstanding student-athlete in recognition of the highest respect for Missouri Southern, outstanding athletic ability, outstanding leadership, and respect for fellow teammates and students. Lyons helped the Southern men to their first ever MIAA track & field crown this past indoor season when he won the 3000- and 5000-meter runs at the conference meet and also earned all-league kudos in the mile. He was co-winner of the High Point Individual honor at the conference meet and later earned South Central Region Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as the indoor campaign wound down. A former walk-on, Lyons has been an NCAA Division II Cross Country All-America (2002) and he played an integral role in Southern’s run of four straight MIAA cross country championships. In 2002, Lyons won the second of two All-South Central Region honors in cross country and was the MIAA individual champion. Outside the realm of competition, Lyons serves as MSSU’s Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) President and is a member of the MSSU Environmental Health Club. He maintains a 3.343 GPA as an environmental science major. Both Lyons and Still have been involved in the FCA/YMCA Christmas, Adopt-A-Street program and Special Olympics, among others. Also on Tuesday, MSSU Athletics Marketing Director Kevin Greim and Lionbacker President Rob Robertson presented wristwatches for Lionbacker Awards of Excellence to a student-athlete in each of Southern’s 14 sports. Head coaches presented team awards, ranging from team MVP to most improved, and Dr. Virginia Laas, Southern’s faculty athletics representative, presented eight Fifth-Year Enhancement Scholarships. Members of the MSSU athletics department recognized more than 60 All-MIAA selections for the 2003-04 academic year, including nine all-region selections and four All-Americans. Three coaches of the year and 79 MIAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll honorees were honored as well. A total of 70 senior student-athletes were presented with 8x10-inch photographs of themselves in action over the course of their careers as Lions.