March 15, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Three Lions bring home All-America honor from indoor nationals

Three members of the Missouri Southern State University track & field teams captured All-America honors on Friday and Saturday and the NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston, Mass.

As a team, the Missouri Southern men finished 16th overall with a total of 12 points, while the MSSU women tied for 38th with two points.

For the Lion men, senior Chris Turner (St. Louis, Mo.) finished second in the pole vault by clearing 16'-4.75", marking the third straight year for the Lions to have a pole vaulter among the nation's top two at the indoor meet. Last year, Seth Isringhausen won the national title after finishing second in 2002.

The runner-up finish for Turner marked his first indoor All-America honor. He was an outdoor All-America in 2002 in the pole vault.

Junior Arley Smith (Pierce City, Mo.), a national qualifier in the weight throw last year, collected his second indoor All-America honor after placing fourth in the weight throw. Smith's best throw at the national meet was 58'-5.75". In 2002, Smith was an All-America in the shot put at the indoor meet.

On the women's side, senior Mary Still (Carthage, Mo.) turned in the fastest time of the meet and a school record (54.98 seconds) in the preliminary round of the 400-meter dash. On Saturday, Still's Friday time would've been enough for the national championship, but she turned in a clocking of 55.63 seconds in the event for seventh place. It marks the second straight indoor All-America award in the 400 for Still, who is a two-time outdoor national runner-up in her best event, the 400-meter hurdles.

Two other MSSU student-athletes also made the trip to Boston for the national championships. Junior Danee Jones (Clayton, Mo.) did not place in the weight throw. Sophomore Sara Mueller narrowly missed All-America status in the high jump. She cleared 5'-5", but settled for a ninth place showing.

The 2004 NCAA-II Indoor Championships capped off a banner year for the Southern track & field teams. Both won their first MIAA track & field team championships of any kind in February.