FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2007

Field events highlight day two of Radio Shack/MSSU Open Invite

Complete Results
Joplin, Mo. -- Chris Brown (Dixon, Mo.) finished first and Cory Reynolds (Neosho, Mo.) was fourth in the men's high jump as the field events highlighted day two of the Radio Shack/MSSU Open Invitational today at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

Brown jumped six feet, eight and a quarter inch and added another provisional height to his record. Reynolds jumped six feet, six and a quarter inch to finish tied for fourth. Seager Wilson (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and Russell Ellis (Caddo Gap, Ark.) both vaulted 15 feet, 11 inches and finished fourth and fifth in the men's elite pole vault. Southern coach Kyle Rutledge and former Southern athlete Chris Turner finished first and second.

"I think our strengths have been our jumpers and vaulters early on.," said men's coach Tom Rutledge. "Our high jumpers are continually improving and the vaulters are staying consistent."

Dustin Dixon (St. Clair, Mo.) was second in the mile run with a time of 4:17.74, while Marcus Walton (Potosi, Mo.) and Tyler Chiartano (Neosho, Mo.) finished second and fifth, respectively in the 800m run. Dustin Miller (Carthage, Mo.), Brennan Benkert (St. Clair, Mo.) and Bret Musser (St. Joseph, Mo.) were third, fifth and sixth in the 5000m run.

"Dustin did pretty good in the mile, but we'd like to see him in the 4:15 range and he can do better than that," Rutledge said. "We were able to start well today, but the team as a whole was not able to finish races. The effort is there, but we have to work on polishing it up. I'm not disappointed, we know what we have to do, but we just have to execute better."

Jessica Selby (Galena, Mo.) led four Southern shot putters in the top five today. Selby threw 46 feet, ten inches and won the event, while Courtney Vie (Lone Jack, Mo.), Emilie Miesler (Carl Junction, Mo.) and Jessica Self (Neosho, Mo.) finished third, fourth and fifth in the event. Erin Steffens (Festus, Mo.) finished ninth.

Channell Lloyd (O'Fallon, Mo.) was second in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.39, while Victoria Kline (Fairland, Okla.) and Kari Fritchie (Lee's Summit, Mo.) finished fifth and sixth in the mile run.

"We had a solid showing in the shot put but they know they can all do better," said women's coach Patty Vavra. "I think we were a little flat in almost every aspect of today's events and didn't have the performance that we did last weekend. We have to get back to work and have three weeks to do so before conference."

Southern will now wait to see what athletes will be chosen to participate in the prestigious Tyson Invitational at the University of Arkansas next weekend.