Rutledge, Vavra named regional coaches of the year

Missouri Southern’s head track & field coaches have added another honor to their already impressive seasons.

Already picked as MIAA Indoor Track & Field Coaches of the Year, Tom Rutledge and Patty Vavra have also been named South Central Region Indoor Track Coaches of the Year by the United States Track Coaches Association.

Additionally, senior student-athletes Brian Lyons (Purdy, Mo.) and Mary Still (Carthage, Mo.) were named regional athletes of the year, the USTCA announmced.

Rutledge, now in his 15th year as MSSU’s head men’s track & field coach, led the Southern men to their first ever MIAA track championship as his Lions grabbed a one-point win over eight-time defending champion Central Missouri State at last month’s league meet

The MSSU men had seven provisional qualifiers for last weekend’s NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships. Three of those provisional qualifiers earned spots in the championship meet and helped Southern to a 16th-place team finish. Arley Smith and Chris Turner came home with All-America honors for top-eight finishes in the weight throw and pole vault, respectively.

It’s the second regional indoor track & field coach of the year award for Rutledge, who also earned the honor in 1999. He has won three conference cross country coach of the year awards this decade and has led Southern to four straight MIAA cross country titles.

Lyons tied for high-point individual honors at the 2004 MIAA Indoor Championships and helped lead Southern’s comeback in the closest MIAA finish since 1977. He won the 3000- and 5000-meter runs and placed third in the mile as Southern scored 62 of its 112 points in those three events. Lyons had an NCAA-II provisional mark in the 5000-meter run, but missed the cut for the national meet.

Like Rutledge, Vavra also led her squad to its first ever MIAA track & field championship last month. That finish highlighted an impressive turnaround for the Southern women, who placed sixth at last year’s indoor conference championships. This year, the Lions notched just three first-place finishes, but scored in all but two of the 17 events at the indoor conference meet

Vavra’s Lions provisionally qualified five athletes in seven different events, and set three to the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships last weekend.

Vavra, now in her 10th year as Southern’s head women’s track & field coach, shared the regional award with Lincoln University coach Victor Thomas. The MIAA Coach of the Year and Regional Coach of the Year awards are the first for Vavra as a track & field coach. She was the 1998 MIAA Cross Country Coach of the Year and was a 1993 inductee into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame.

The lone All-America from the 2004 team for the MSSU women was Still, who earned All-MIAA in four different events, including her third conference championship in the 400-meter dash. Still shared South Central Region Athlete of the Year honors with Lincoln’s Nakkisha Maynard.

At the conference meet, Still also placed third in the 200 meters and 60-meter hurdles, and was fourth in the 60-meter dash. She also served on the third-place 4x400-meter relay team. Still went on to place seventh in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Division II Championships. Twice this year, she topped her own school record in the 400, including a time of 54.98 seconds at the national meet.


	March 16, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Rutledge, Vavra named regional coaches of the year Lyons, Still collect regional athlete of the year awards Missouri Southern’s head track & field coaches have added another honor to their already impressive seasons. Already picked as MIAA Indoor Track & Field Coaches of the Year, Tom Rutledge and Patty Vavra have also been named South Central Region Indoor Track Coaches of the Year by the United States Track Coaches Association. Additionally, senior student-athletes Brian Lyons (Purdy, Mo.) and Mary Still (Carthage, Mo.) were named regional athletes of the year, the USTCA announmced. Rutledge, now in his 15th year as MSSU’s head men’s track & field coach, led the Southern men to their first ever MIAA track championship as his Lions grabbed a one-point win over eight-time defending champion Central Missouri State at last month’s league meet The MSSU men had seven provisional qualifiers for last weekend’s NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships. Three of those provisional qualifiers earned spots in the championship meet and helped Southern to a 16th-place team finish. Arley Smith and Chris Turner came home with All-America honors for top-eight finishes in the weight throw and pole vault, respectively. It’s the second regional indoor track & field coach of the year award for Rutledge, who also earned the honor in 1999. He has won three conference cross country coach of the year awards this decade and has led Southern to four straight MIAA cross country titles. Lyons tied for high-point individual honors at the 2004 MIAA Indoor Championships and helped lead Southern’s comeback in the closest MIAA finish since 1977. He won the 3000- and 5000-meter runs and placed third in the mile as Southern scored 62 of its 112 points in those three events. Lyons had an NCAA-II provisional mark in the 5000-meter run, but missed the cut for the national meet. Like Rutledge, Vavra also led her squad to its first ever MIAA track & field championship last month. That finish highlighted an impressive turnaround for the Southern women, who placed sixth at last year’s indoor conference championships. This year, the Lions notched just three first-place finishes, but scored in all but two of the 17 events at the indoor conference meet Vavra’s Lions provisionally qualified five athletes in seven different events, and set three to the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships last weekend. Vavra, now in her 10th year as Southern’s head women’s track & field coach, shared the regional award with Lincoln University coach Victor Thomas. The MIAA Coach of the Year and Regional Coach of the Year awards are the first for Vavra as a track & field coach. She was the 1998 MIAA Cross Country Coach of the Year and was a 1993 inductee into the Missouri Southern Athletics Hall of Fame. The lone All-America from the 2004 team for the MSSU women was Still, who earned All-MIAA in four different events, including her third conference championship in the 400-meter dash. Still shared South Central Region Athlete of the Year honors with Lincoln’s Nakkisha Maynard. At the conference meet, Still also placed third in the 200 meters and 60-meter hurdles, and was fourth in the 60-meter dash. She also served on the third-place 4x400-meter relay team. Still went on to place seventh in the 400-meter dash at the NCAA Division II Championships. Twice this year, she topped her own school record in the 400, including a time of 54.98 seconds at the national meet.