April 2, 2003

Two Missouri Southern track & field athletes earn MIAA Athlete of the Week awards

Sophomore Arley Smith (Pierce City, Mo.) and junior Mary Garrett (Carthage, Mo.) were named Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Athletes of the Week on Tuesday for their track & field performances last week.

Smith, a 6-2 and 260 pounder who also doubles as a starting defensive lineman on the Southern football team, grabbed two NCAA Division II provisional qualifying marks in the discus and hammer throw at the Wendy's/Pittsburg State Invitational on Saturday. He won the discus with a throw of 167'-3" and also took first in the hammer with a mark of 172'-2". Smith's victories were two of the 10 wins for the Southern men in the outdoor season opener.

Garrett also posted two victories and earned a provisional at the Pittsburg State meet. She won the 400-meter hurdles in 1:01.37, an NCAA provisional mark and a new meet record. Garrett was also first in the 100-meter hurdles, finishing in 15.12 seconds. She is coming off an indoor campaign in which she earned All-America accolades in the 400-meter dash.

The Southern track & field teams return to action this Friday and Saturday when they host the Missouri Southern/Sports World Track & Field Festival at Fred G. Hughes Stadium. It's MSSC's lone outdoor meet of the spring, as two others have been cancelled.