Spinks, Russell claim weekly honor for Southern

Oct. 5, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Two Lions named MIAA Athletes of the Week

For the third consecutive week, the Missouri Southern State University football team has a Wilson/Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Player of the Week.

This time, senior cornerback Robert Spinks (Hacienda Heights, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College) earned the honor for his role in the Lions 30-20 victory on Saturday at Truman State University.

This week, the MSSU’s conference football athlete of the week is joined by a cross country standout. Senior Megan Russell (Jefferson City, Mo.) captured the women’s cross country MIAA Athlete of the Week honor after her third-place finish on Saturday at the 32nd Annual Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago.

Spinks, a 6-foot and 180-pound senior, was part of a 14-point swing in the late stages of the game at Truman that helped propel the Lions to victory in head coach John Ware’s first game against his old team. With less than two minues to play and the Bulldogs on the MSSU 1-yard line, Southern freshman Adrian Williams (Terrell, Texas) forced TSU’s Jerard Leverson to fumble as he attempted to dive over the pile and into the end zone for a would-be go-ahead score. Spinks caught Leverson’s fumble in the end zone and raced 100 yards to give Southern the final margin of victory.

Spinks also had six tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup in the victory. The 100-yard fumble return was the longest in school history, surpassing the old record of 43 yards by Richard Jordan in 1996. It also secured Southern’s first ever victory in Kirksville and snapped a six-game Bulldog winning streak in the series.

Russell, a 5-foot-4 senior, finished third at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Saturday in Chicago, Ill. She ended 12 seconds off the winning pace, turning in a time of 18:22 over the 5K course.

Russell led three Lions in the top eight at the meet. Junior Erin Click (West Plains, Mo.) and senior Ashley Caffey (Lebanon, Mo.) finished sixth and eighth, respectively, as the Lions finished second to Ferris State (Mich.) in the Maroon Division, 72-114.

It marked the third straight race in which Russell has been in the Lions top finisher.


	Oct. 5, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Two Lions named MIAA Athletes of the Week Spinks, Russell claim weekly honor for Southern For the third consecutive week, the Missouri Southern State University football team has a Wilson/Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Player of the Week. This time, senior cornerback Robert Spinks (Hacienda Heights, Calif./Mt. San Antonio College) earned the honor for his role in the Lions 30-20 victory on Saturday at Truman State University. This week, the MSSU’s conference football athlete of the week is joined by a cross country standout. Senior Megan Russell (Jefferson City, Mo.) captured the women’s cross country MIAA Athlete of the Week honor after her third-place finish on Saturday at the 32nd Annual Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational in Chicago. Spinks, a 6-foot and 180-pound senior, was part of a 14-point swing in the late stages of the game at Truman that helped propel the Lions to victory in head coach John Ware’s first game against his old team. With less than two minues to play and the Bulldogs on the MSSU 1-yard line, Southern freshman Adrian Williams (Terrell, Texas) forced TSU’s Jerard Leverson to fumble as he attempted to dive over the pile and into the end zone for a would-be go-ahead score. Spinks caught Leverson’s fumble in the end zone and raced 100 yards to give Southern the final margin of victory. Spinks also had six tackles (four solo) and a pass breakup in the victory. The 100-yard fumble return was the longest in school history, surpassing the old record of 43 yards by Richard Jordan in 1996. It also secured Southern’s first ever victory in Kirksville and snapped a six-game Bulldog winning streak in the series. Russell, a 5-foot-4 senior, finished third at the Sean Earl Loyola Lakefront Invitational on Saturday in Chicago, Ill. She ended 12 seconds off the winning pace, turning in a time of 18:22 over the 5K course. Russell led three Lions in the top eight at the meet. Junior Erin Click (West Plains, Mo.) and senior Ashley Caffey (Lebanon, Mo.) finished sixth and eighth, respectively, as the Lions finished second to Ferris State (Mich.) in the Maroon Division, 72-114. It marked the third straight race in which Russell has been in the Lions top finisher.