MSSU men’s track adds 11 to roster

Head coach Tom Rutledge has announced that 11 new student-athletes will join the Missouri Southern State University track & field squad in 2005-06.

Ten of the newest signees will be freshmen with the Lions in the coming school year. Rutledge has also signed one junior college transfer. Additionally, four of the newcomers are ticketed for men’s cross country.

Drew Martin (Kansas City, Mo.), a 5-foot-9 and 165-pound sprinter, comes to Southern from Hickman Mills High School. A three-year letterwinner in track & field, Martin’s best fully-automatic times include 11.00 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 22.40 seconds in the 200. Martin also lettered two years as a running back/linebacker with the Cougars.

Joe McDevitt (Eldon, Mo.), 6-foot and 180 pounds, is a three-time state qualifier in the triple jump. He earned all-state honors in the triple jump at the Missouri Class 3 State Championships both as a junior and again as a senior, finishing seventh both years. McDevitt, also a three-year starter for the Mustangs in football, was three-time track & field team MVP and was named athlete of the year in 2005.

Ryan McPeak (Joplin, Mo./College Heights Christian), is a 5-foot-11 and 165-pound sprinter. In 2005, McPeak was the Missouri Class 2 state champion in the 400-meter dash (49.76 seconds) and was also an all-state performer with third-place showings in the 100 and 200. He has his name on eight school track & field records at College Heights. McPeak is also a two-year all-state soccer player who scored 42 goals and handed out 21 assists in his career.

Patrick Mugethi (Thika, Kenya/Kairi Rumwe HS) will compete in distance events in track & field and will also join the Lions in cross country as well. He competed in cross country and ran the 5000 meters in track & field during his high school career.

Andrew Reed (Potosi, Mo.), 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, was a high school cross country and track teammate of current Lion Kyle Davis. Reed was part of two Missouri Class 3 state championship-winning cross country teams at Potosi and another (2004) that finished as state runner-up. Reed, in 2004, finished 39th at the Class 3 meet. He was also a state qualifier in the 3200-meter run in track & field as a senior.

Marcus Walton also hails frm Potosi but comes to Southern by way of Rend Lake College, in Ina, Ill. At Potosi High School, Walton was the Missouri Class 3 state champion in the 800-meter run as a senior in 2003, finishing with a time of 1:55.68. He was also an all-state performer in the 400-meter dash. At Rend Lake, Walton, who will be a junior with the Lions in 2005-06, has continued with the 800 in which his career best time is 1: 50.26.

Nick Weis (Lebanon, Mo.) was a three-year letterwinner in cross country and track & field at Lebanon High School. Weis was twice named the team’s most valuable runner and was an all-conference and all-district performer as a senior.

Micah Williams (Hannibal, Mo.), comes to MSSU by way of Moberly Area Community College, which doesn’t sponsor a track & field team. Williams was an all-state hurdler at Hannibal High School in 2004 with a sixth-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles at the Class 3 state meet. He was a four-year letterman in track & field at HHS and was named outstanding athlete on the track team. Williams, the brother of Lions’ football player Wentric Williams and a nephew of former Southern gridder Lydell Williams, was also named most improved on the Pirates’ wrestling team.

Seager Wilson (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Northrop HS) is a two-time all-state honoree in the pole vault, including a third-place state finish in 2005. Wilson, 5-10 and 145 pounds, is a two-time sectional champion and also has one state regional crown. He has cleared 15 feet, 6 inches to win the sectional championship the last two years.

Derek Wright (Ozark, Mo.), 5-foot-10 and 140 pounds, will join the Lions in both track & field and cross country. In cross country, Wright qualified for the state Class 3 championships. In track & field, he has qualified for the state meet in the 800-meter run the last two years. He’s a four-year letterwinner in both cross country and track & field and he helped the Tigers to the 2005 Missouri Class 3 State Team championship.

Additionally, Rutledge has announced that football signee Eric Bearden (Webb City, Mo.) will also compete with the MSSU track & field team. In track, Bearden is a three-time state qualifier in the shot put, earning all-state honors in each of the last two years. He was the 2005 state Class 3 runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 54 feet, 5.5 inches.

The group of 11 latest additions join three early signees, Dustin Dixon (St. Clair, Mo.), Justin Hall (Oronogo, Mo./Webb City HS) and Bret Musser (St. Joseph, Mo./Central HS), who were announced in November, 2004.

Rutledge just completed his 16th season at the helm of the MSSU men’s track & field and cross country squads. His track & field teams have finished in the MIAA’s top four indoors and outdoors in each of the last three years and his cross country squads have won or shared four of the last five conference championships. In the 2005 outdoor season, the Lions had their best ever national track & field finish, placing sixth with 35 points.


	June 8, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MSSU men’s track adds 11 to roster Four also joining Southern cross country team Head coach Tom Rutledge has announced that 11 new student-athletes will join the Missouri Southern State University track & field squad in 2005-06. Ten of the newest signees will be freshmen with the Lions in the coming school year. Rutledge has also signed one junior college transfer. Additionally, four of the newcomers are ticketed for men’s cross country. Drew Martin (Kansas City, Mo.), a 5-foot-9 and 165-pound sprinter, comes to Southern from Hickman Mills High School. A three-year letterwinner in track & field, Martin’s best fully-automatic times include 11.00 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 22.40 seconds in the 200. Martin also lettered two years as a running back/linebacker with the Cougars. Joe McDevitt (Eldon, Mo.), 6-foot and 180 pounds, is a three-time state qualifier in the triple jump. He earned all-state honors in the triple jump at the Missouri Class 3 State Championships both as a junior and again as a senior, finishing seventh both years. McDevitt, also a three-year starter for the Mustangs in football, was three-time track & field team MVP and was named athlete of the year in 2005. Ryan McPeak (Joplin, Mo./College Heights Christian), is a 5-foot-11 and 165-pound sprinter. In 2005, McPeak was the Missouri Class 2 state champion in the 400-meter dash (49.76 seconds) and was also an all-state performer with third-place showings in the 100 and 200. He has his name on eight school track & field records at College Heights. McPeak is also a two-year all-state soccer player who scored 42 goals and handed out 21 assists in his career. Patrick Mugethi (Thika, Kenya/Kairi Rumwe HS) will compete in distance events in track & field and will also join the Lions in cross country as well. He competed in cross country and ran the 5000 meters in track & field during his high school career. Andrew Reed (Potosi, Mo.), 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, was a high school cross country and track teammate of current Lion Kyle Davis. Reed was part of two Missouri Class 3 state championship-winning cross country teams at Potosi and another (2004) that finished as state runner-up. Reed, in 2004, finished 39th at the Class 3 meet. He was also a state qualifier in the 3200-meter run in track & field as a senior. Marcus Walton also hails frm Potosi but comes to Southern by way of Rend Lake College, in Ina, Ill. At Potosi High School, Walton was the Missouri Class 3 state champion in the 800-meter run as a senior in 2003, finishing with a time of 1:55.68. He was also an all-state performer in the 400-meter dash. At Rend Lake, Walton, who will be a junior with the Lions in 2005-06, has continued with the 800 in which his career best time is 1: 50.26. Nick Weis (Lebanon, Mo.) was a three-year letterwinner in cross country and track & field at Lebanon High School. Weis was twice named the team’s most valuable runner and was an all-conference and all-district performer as a senior. Micah Williams (Hannibal, Mo.), comes to MSSU by way of Moberly Area Community College, which doesn’t sponsor a track & field team. Williams was an all-state hurdler at Hannibal High School in 2004 with a sixth-place finish in the 300-meter hurdles at the Class 3 state meet. He was a four-year letterman in track & field at HHS and was named outstanding athlete on the track team. Williams, the brother of Lions’ football player Wentric Williams and a nephew of former Southern gridder Lydell Williams, was also named most improved on the Pirates’ wrestling team. Seager Wilson (Ft. Wayne, Ind./Northrop HS) is a two-time all-state honoree in the pole vault, including a third-place state finish in 2005. Wilson, 5-10 and 145 pounds, is a two-time sectional champion and also has one state regional crown. He has cleared 15 feet, 6 inches to win the sectional championship the last two years. Derek Wright (Ozark, Mo.), 5-foot-10 and 140 pounds, will join the Lions in both track & field and cross country. In cross country, Wright qualified for the state Class 3 championships. In track & field, he has qualified for the state meet in the 800-meter run the last two years. He’s a four-year letterwinner in both cross country and track & field and he helped the Tigers to the 2005 Missouri Class 3 State Team championship. Additionally, Rutledge has announced that football signee Eric Bearden (Webb City, Mo.) will also compete with the MSSU track & field team. In track, Bearden is a three-time state qualifier in the shot put, earning all-state honors in each of the last two years. He was the 2005 state Class 3 runner-up in the shot put with a throw of 54 feet, 5.5 inches. The group of 11 latest additions join three early signees, Dustin Dixon (St. Clair, Mo.), Justin Hall (Oronogo, Mo./Webb City HS) and Bret Musser (St. Joseph, Mo./Central HS), who were announced in November, 2004. Rutledge just completed his 16th season at the helm of the MSSU men’s track & field and cross country squads. His track & field teams have finished in the MIAA’s top four indoors and outdoors in each of the last three years and his cross country squads have won or shared four of the last five conference championships. In the 2005 outdoor season, the Lions had their best ever national track & field finish, placing sixth with 35 points.