FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mar. 3, 2009

Southern qualifies six athletes for 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Championships

Joplin, Mo. -- The Missouri Southern men's and women's indoor track and field teams have qualified six athletes for the 2009 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships which will be held March 13-14 in Houston.

Representing the women will be Kimi Shank in the 5k, Emilie Mieseler in the weight throw, Nicole Green in the shot put, Ciara Lipsey in the pole vault and Channell Lloyd in the triple jump. Phillip Horn qualified in the heptathlon in the event's first go around in national competition.

Shank has broken her own school record in the 5k twice this year and ranks 14th nationally in the event. Lipsey was the MIAA Champion in the pole vault and broke the school record in the process. She ranks ninth nationally. Mieseler was a MIAA Champion in the weight throw and increased her personal best by eight and a half inches. She ranks ninth nationally. Lloyd was an All-MIAA selection in the triple jump and is ranked ninth nationally in the event, while Green also was All-MIAA. Green ranks 12th.

Horn won the heptathlon at the Razorback Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas in February and his point total of 5,107 was good enough for second best nationally at that time. He enters the 2009 Indoor Nationals with the fifth-best point total.

The Indoor Championships are part of the NCAA's Winter Festival where various national championships will all be held in Houston this March.