FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 26, 2007

Men's Distance Medley earns NCAA provisional in first day of 2007 Fazolis/Baymont Inn MSSU Open Invite

Friday Results
Joplin, Mo. -- Dustin Dixon (St. Clair, Mo.) ran the anchor leg of Missouri Southern's champion Distance Medley Relay team and helped the team to an NCAA provisional time of 10:12.96 in the first day of the 2007 Fazolis/Baymont Inn MSSU Open Invitational.

Southern finished strong in the men's 3000 meter as well taking home 2nd-4th place, as well as seventh. Ryan Arthur (Clinton, Mo.), Ricky Armstrong (Potosi, Mo.) and Dustin Miller (Carthage, Mo.) finished back-to-back-to-back, while Bret Musser (St. Joseph, Mo.) placed seventh.

"I was very happy to see us get a provisional mark in the DMR," said men's coach Tom Rutledge. "We need to do better in the 1200 meter leg, and we're improving in other areas, but overall, I'd like us to be more consistent. I am really pleased to see the results we had in the 3000. We placed five guys in the top seven, all were on pace, and they all stayed aggressive."

Corey Shumate (Conway, Ark.) finished second in the pole vault with a height of 14 feet, three and one quarter inches. Former Southern basketball player Jeremy McCadney (Union City, Tenn.) finished sixth in the long jump with a distance of 21 feet, seven and a half inches.

"Our young pole vaulters did pretty good," Rutledge said. "I'm looking for even more tomorrow when the elite vaulters go for it."

Southern's women had another impressive day in the weight throw with both Jessica Self (Neosho, Mo.) and Jessica Selby (Galena, Mo.) finishing third and fourth in the event. Self had a personal best throw of 51 feet, 11 and one quarter inches, while Selby threw 51 feet, seven inches. Courtney Vie (Lone Jack, Mo.) finished fifth with a throw of 49 feet, 11 inches.

"It was another good day for the throwers," said women's coach Patty Vavra. "Jessica Self had a personal best and Courtney Vie had a great day, as well. This has been the story of the first few weeks for this team."

In the pole vault, junior college transfer Erica Culver (Garden City, Kan.) finished second with a vault of 11 feet, one and three quarter inches. She placed only behind Tulsa's Caitlin Clancy. Ciara Lipsey (Wichita, Kan.) placed fifth with a vault of 10 feet, two inches. In the long jump, Southern's top finisher was Kayla Piley (Lamar, Mo.) with a jump of 15 feet, five inches. Jestine Hayes (Warrensburg, Mo.) turned in a jump of 15 feet, four and three quarter inches.

"Ciara (Lipsey) made some nice strides today," Vavra said. "Erica (Culver) is very good technically and is only a matter of time before her heights start to go up. I was pleased with the long jump results. We are very young, but we are starting to show some nice improvements."

Day two of the Invite will begin tomorrow morning at 10:30 am with the men's shot put and the women's triple jump.