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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Shank breaks school
record again in indoor 5k Joplin, Mo. -- Missouri Southern sophomore distance runner Kimi Shank shattered her own school record in the 5k today at the University of Arkansas as the men's and women's track and field teams competed at both the Tyson Invitational at Arkansas, as well as the MSSU Radio Shack Invitational at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. Shank, a native of Rolla, Mo., had previously broke the school record three weeks ago on the very same track in Fayetteville when she ran a 17:26.69 at the Razorback Invitational on January 25. That mark broke the previous record of 17:40.08. Today at the Tyson Invitational, Shank improved on her time, blazing to a 17:05.51 as she has taken nearly 35 seconds off of the school record this season alone. She finished sixth in the event and it is the second-best time in Division II this season. Also at Arkansas, Kara Eckard (19th - 5:06.27), Courtney Waltbillig (29th - 5:15.83) and Victoria Kline (37th - 5:20.42) all competed in the mile run. The women had a strong showing in the first day of the Radio Shack Invite back in Joplin, where the throwers took home four of the top six finishes and five of the top eight. Jessica Selby-Tallman finished second, but was the top overall collegiate performer with a distance of 55 feet, 11 and three quarter inches. Jessica Self (53 feet, seven and three quarter inches) and Courtney Vie (53 feet, four and a half inches) finished third and fourth, both with provisional qualifying distances. Emilie Mieseler and Amanda Littlefield were sixth and eighth in the event. Kayla Piley finished 13th in the long jump with a distance of 16 feet, one and a half inches, while Kari Fritchie was sixth in the 3k with a time of 10:48.15. Kelly McKay (15th -27.11), Carita Riutta (22nd - 27.51), Stacy Borgard (27th - 27.28) and Camille Brown (29th - 27.82) all ran in the 200m. In men's action at Arkansas, a trio of pole vaulters finished in the top six. Jacob Williams vaulted to a height of 16 feet, four and three quarter inches to finish second, while Russell Ellis (15 feet, five inches) and Corey Shumate (15 feet, five inches) finished fourth and sixth, respectively. Brennan Benkert and Ryan Arthur, running in the 5k finished sixth and tenth with times of 15:03.26 and 15:53.43, respectively. Aki Nummela finished eighth in the mile run with a time of 4:13.38. Back in Joplin, the men were highlighted by a first and third place performance in the 3k when Dustin Miller took home the title with a time of 8:50.53 and Jarkko Jarvenpaa finished third at 9:00.05. John Isenman was fifth in the weight throw with a distance of 53 feet, one inch, while Phillip Horn placed ninth in the long jump with a distance of 22 feet, two and a half inches. Sprinters Andrew and Kevin Wright placed 10th and 13th respectively in the 200m dash. Both teams will be back in action tomorrow as the events get underway at 10:30 am inside the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.
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