Three more to join women’s track and field squad

Head women’s track & field and cross country coach Patty Vavra announced today that three more student-athletes will join the Lady Lions this fall.

Kate Brittan and transfers Madeline Cline and Chelsea Michael have announced their intentions to participate in track & field at Missouri Southern. Brittan, a freshman, will also run on the Lady Lions cross country squad.

Brittan, of Valley Park (Mo.) High School, is a former state champion in cross country, having won the meet as a sophomore in 2000. That year, she finished in a school record time of 20:14.64 after also capturing conference and district titles. As a junior, Brittan finished 10th at the state meet and helped the VPHS Hawks to a state team crown. This past season, she was 12th at the state as Valley Park placed sixth.

Brittan, the daughter of former Lions wide receiver Randall Brittan, will be new to track & field as VPHS doesn’t sponsor the sport. She’s also a two-time all-conference soccer player and won all-league honors in basketball this past season as well.

Cline will transfer to Southern from William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. As a freshman this past season, she was a national qualifier both indoors and outdoors in the pole vault, posting season-best marks indoors (10’-8”) and outdoors (10’-10”). Also an all-conference performer in both seasons this year, Cline is a graduate of Excelsior Springs (Mo.) High School where she was a two-time all-state performer in the pole vault. A four-year letterwinner in track & field for the ESHS Tigers, she won all-conference honors three years during her high school career.

Cline was also an all-district volleyball player and was a Kansas City Star Scholar-Athlete in 2002.

Michael will join the Lady Lions as a junior in 2003-04 as a transfer from Cowley County Community College (Kan.). A native of Iola, Kan., she set Cowley County outdoor records in the shot put and hammer and an indoor mark in the shot put. Named a Scholar-Athlete at Cowley County, she was an all-conference and all-region performer, and the school’s two-time Most Valuable Female Field Athlete has been a national qualifier in the hammer.

At Iola High School, Michael was a four-year letterwinner and won a conference title in the shot put.

The Lady Lions finished third at the 2002 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Cross Country Championships and collected sixth-place finishes at both the indoor and outdoor MIAA Track & Field Championships this year. Southern had two All-Americans in 2003, sophomore Danee Jones (indoors) and junior Mary Garrett (indoors and outdoors).


	June 26, 2003 Three more to join women’s track and field squad One added to Lady Lions cross country team Head women’s track & field and cross country coach Patty Vavra announced today that three more student-athletes will join the Lady Lions this fall. Kate Brittan and transfers Madeline Cline and Chelsea Michael have announced their intentions to participate in track & field at Missouri Southern. Brittan, a freshman, will also run on the Lady Lions cross country squad. Brittan, of Valley Park (Mo.) High School, is a former state champion in cross country, having won the meet as a sophomore in 2000. That year, she finished in a school record time of 20:14.64 after also capturing conference and district titles. As a junior, Brittan finished 10th at the state meet and helped the VPHS Hawks to a state team crown. This past season, she was 12th at the state as Valley Park placed sixth. Brittan, the daughter of former Lions wide receiver Randall Brittan, will be new to track & field as VPHS doesn’t sponsor the sport. She’s also a two-time all-conference soccer player and won all-league honors in basketball this past season as well. Cline will transfer to Southern from William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. As a freshman this past season, she was a national qualifier both indoors and outdoors in the pole vault, posting season-best marks indoors (10’-8”) and outdoors (10’-10”). Also an all-conference performer in both seasons this year, Cline is a graduate of Excelsior Springs (Mo.) High School where she was a two-time all-state performer in the pole vault. A four-year letterwinner in track & field for the ESHS Tigers, she won all-conference honors three years during her high school career. Cline was also an all-district volleyball player and was a Kansas City Star Scholar-Athlete in 2002. Michael will join the Lady Lions as a junior in 2003-04 as a transfer from Cowley County Community College (Kan.). A native of Iola, Kan., she set Cowley County outdoor records in the shot put and hammer and an indoor mark in the shot put. Named a Scholar-Athlete at Cowley County, she was an all-conference and all-region performer, and the school’s two-time Most Valuable Female Field Athlete has been a national qualifier in the hammer. At Iola High School, Michael was a four-year letterwinner and won a conference title in the shot put. The Lady Lions finished third at the 2002 Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Cross Country Championships and collected sixth-place finishes at both the indoor and outdoor MIAA Track & Field Championships this year. Southern had two All-Americans in 2003, sophomore Danee Jones (indoors) and junior Mary Garrett (indoors and outdoors).