May 7, 2003

Nineteen from track & field teams are All-MIAA in outdoor season

Nineteen members of the Missouri Southern outdoor track & field teams, including 12 from the Southern men's squad were earned all-conference accolades following this past weekend's Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Championships in Kirksville, Mo.

The Missouri Southern men finished third at the MIAA Championships with 105.5 points, while the Lady Lions were sixth with 45 points. Athletes finishing in the top six of the individual events and in the top three of the relays earn the all-conference distinction.

For the Lions, sophomore B.J. Blocker (Tulsa, Okla./Jenks HS) was All-MIAA in three events. He placed third in the 110-meter hurdles, fourth in the decathlon and tied for fifth in the high jump.

Fourth other athletes from the Lions squad also won all-league honors in multiple events, including sophomore Arley Smith (Pierce City, Mo.), who won the conference title in the hammer throw with a school record mark of 184'-10". Smith also placed third in the discus.

Another thrower, senior Jamie Tallman (Neodesha, Kan.) finished third in the hammer and fifth in the shot put for all-conference honors in both events.

Smith was one of three Lions to capture individual MIAA championships. Sophomore Mika Alahaivala (Ylivieska, Finland) won the javelin with a throw of 205'-3" and junior Magnus Holmstrom (Inga, Finland/Karis Billnas HS) took first in the 3000-meter steeplechase with a time of 9:19.11.

Junior Chris Turner (St. Louis, Mo./Clayton HS) was the first of two Southern decathletes to claim All-MIAA. He placed third in the decathlon and was also second in the pole vault. Turner and eventual champion Nik Kassler of Pittsburg State both had the same mark (15'-8.25"), but Turner lost out on misses.

Sophomore Paul Koehler (St. Louis, Mo./Lindbergh HS) also collected top-six finishes in two events. He was third in the 10,000-meter run, leading a cast of three MSSC all-conference runners in that event, and placed sixth in the 5000 meters.

Others from the Southern men's team to collect All-MIAA honors included:
Seth Isringhausen (Sr., Nixa, Mo.): third in the pole vault.
Petri Kykyri (Jr., Kalvia, Finland/Kalvia Upper HS): fourth in the 10,000 meters.
Brian Lyons (Jr., Monett, Mo.): second in the 5000 meters.
Craig Rhoads (So., West Plains, Mo.): sixth in the 10,000.
Michael Stewart (So., Kansas City, Mo./Bishop Miege HS): sixth in the triple jump.

The Southern women had seven all-conference performers, including two who won multiple awards. They were both throwers, sophomore Danee Jones (Clayton, Mo.) and junior Shonna Sherrell (Dixon, Mo.). Jones won the only individual MIAA crown for the Lady Lions, capturing first place in the hammer throw (168'-11"). She also placed fourth in the discus and fifth in the shot put. Sherrell was sixth in both the discus and hammer.

The other five Lady Lions earning All-MIAA were:
Alisha Adams (Jr., Bethany, Okla.): third in the 800 meters.
Mary Garrett (Jr., Carthage, Mo.): second in the 400-meter hurdles.
Sara Mueller (Fr., Carthage, Mo.): fifth in the high jump.
Rachel Patterson (Jr., Raytown, Mo./Raytown South HS): fifth in the 10,000 meters.
Melissa Turner (So., Claremore, Okla.): fourth in the pole vault.

Missouri Southern has one more meet on its schedule, prior to the NCAA Division II Championships, for both the men's and women's teams. That's this Saturday at the Emporia State Twilight Qualifier. The NCAA Division II Championships will be held May 22-24 in Edwardsville, Ill.