Track teams sending seven to nationals

Seven members of the Missouri Southern State University track & field teams have earned spots in the field at the 2005 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, to be held March 11-12 in Boston, Mass.

The Missouri Southern men will be represented by four individuals, including two pole vaulters. Junior Matt Campbell (Worthington, Ind.) ranks second in the nation with his school record vault of 17’-01.75”. Campbell, two-time Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association indoor champion, was a national qualifier last year both indoors and out.

Senior Kyle Rutledge (Joplin, Mo.) will also compete in the pole vault. A 2003 indoor All-America in the event, Rutledge ranks seventh this season with his mark of 16’-03.25”.

Senior Michael Stewart (Kansas City, Mo.) has earned his first NCAA-II Championships appearance. Stewart will compete in the triple jump as he enters the national competition ranked fifth with a jump of 48’-11.50”.

Junior Mike Hines (Miami, Fla.) also earned a berth at the national meet and will compete in the shot put. Hines, a first-year Lion, was a junior college All-America indoors and outdoors. He ranks ninth nationally in the shot, with his mark of 55’-01.50”.

Missouri Southern’s women will be sending three student-athletes to Boston, including a familiar face when it comes to national meets. Senior Danee Jones (Clayton, Mo.) qualified for NCAA-II Indoor Championships competition for the fourth straight year. Jones will compete in the weight throw, an event in which she currently ranks second nationally with her school record throw of 61’-09.75”. Jones was a 2003 indoor All-America after a third-place national finish.

Southern’s two other female representatives in Boston will be first-time competitors on the NCAA Championships scene. True freshmen Alison Walker (West Plains, Mo.) and Jessica Selby (Galena, Mo.) have earned spots at the national meet.

Walker qualified in the 800-meter run as she currently ranks 12th nationally with her adjusted time of 2: 14.58. Walker’s qualifying time came in her first collegiate 800, as she was 0.66 seconds off the school record.

While Jones made the field in the weight throw, Selby will compete in the other indoor throw, the shot put. Selby currently ranks ninth in the nation with her mark of 46’-01.50”. Selby achieved that mark, a school record, last weekend at the MIAA Indoor Championships in Warrensburg.


	March 2, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Track teams sending seven to nationals Four men, three women making the trip to Boston Seven members of the Missouri Southern State University track & field teams have earned spots in the field at the 2005 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships, to be held March 11-12 in Boston, Mass. The Missouri Southern men will be represented by four individuals, including two pole vaulters. Junior Matt Campbell (Worthington, Ind.) ranks second in the nation with his school record vault of 17’-01.75”. Campbell, two-time Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association indoor champion, was a national qualifier last year both indoors and out. Senior Kyle Rutledge (Joplin, Mo.) will also compete in the pole vault. A 2003 indoor All-America in the event, Rutledge ranks seventh this season with his mark of 16’-03.25”. Senior Michael Stewart (Kansas City, Mo.) has earned his first NCAA-II Championships appearance. Stewart will compete in the triple jump as he enters the national competition ranked fifth with a jump of 48’-11.50”. Junior Mike Hines (Miami, Fla.) also earned a berth at the national meet and will compete in the shot put. Hines, a first-year Lion, was a junior college All-America indoors and outdoors. He ranks ninth nationally in the shot, with his mark of 55’-01.50”. Missouri Southern’s women will be sending three student-athletes to Boston, including a familiar face when it comes to national meets. Senior Danee Jones (Clayton, Mo.) qualified for NCAA-II Indoor Championships competition for the fourth straight year. Jones will compete in the weight throw, an event in which she currently ranks second nationally with her school record throw of 61’-09.75”. Jones was a 2003 indoor All-America after a third-place national finish. Southern’s two other female representatives in Boston will be first-time competitors on the NCAA Championships scene. True freshmen Alison Walker (West Plains, Mo.) and Jessica Selby (Galena, Mo.) have earned spots at the national meet. Walker qualified in the 800-meter run as she currently ranks 12th nationally with her adjusted time of 2: 14.58. Walker’s qualifying time came in her first collegiate 800, as she was 0.66 seconds off the school record. While Jones made the field in the weight throw, Selby will compete in the other indoor throw, the shot put. Selby currently ranks ninth in the nation with her mark of 46’-01.50”. Selby achieved that mark, a school record, last weekend at the MIAA Indoor Championships in Warrensburg.