Women finish second, men third at Track and Field Spring Classic - SOUTHERN ILLINOIS OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Women finish second, men third at Track and Field Spring Classic

The Salukis picked up five Mideast Regional qualifying marks in the first meet of the outdoor season.

March 24, 2007

By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com

Complete Results

CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois men's and women's track and field teams picked up five regional-qualifying marks on the way to third and second-place finishes respectively at the Spring Classic, the first meet of the outdoor season for the Salukis.

After regionally qualifying in the hammer Friday night, winning the event and setting a new stadium record, Brittany Riley went on to win the discus and shot put Saturday. Riley threw 169-05, second all-time at SIU, in the discus to regionally qualify in her second event of the weekend. She then posted a mark of 46-08 in the shot for her third victory.

Brenton Siemons regionally qualified in his second event of the weekend after taking third in the men's hammer Friday. He turned around Saturday to throw 55-07.50 and win the men's shot put title with a regional qualifying mark.

Bianca Stuart, the indoor and outdoor school-record holder in the long jump, won the event with a leap of 20-00.25, a regional-qualifying mark.

In the men's jumps, Antwon Stapleton's jump of 51-08.50 won the event, scored 10 points for the men to push them from fourth to third in the team standings and qualify himself for regionals.

On the men's side the 4x100 relay of Brandon Love, Sammy Biggs, Antoine Jennings and Derrick Fisher won the meet title finishing in a time of 41.76. Biggs then went on to finish second in the men's 400-meter dash in a time of 47.58, while Love finished fourth in the 100, running 11.37.

SIU's Jeff Schirmer ran 3:53.35 in the 1500 to finish third, the top finish in the distance events.

For the women, Mikeya Nicholson won the women's triple jump with a final mark of 40-02, while Toni Whitfield threw 120-11 in the javelin to finish third.

In the running events, Kendra Deck ran 1:03.60 in the 400 hurdles to finish third.

Indiana State went on to win both team titles, finishing with 122 points on the women's side and 142 points on the men's side.

The Saluki women posted 110.5 points including five meet titles. Illinois State (100.5), Marquette (96.50) and Missouri State (72) rounded out the top five for the women.

In the men's team standings, Illinois finished second behind the Sycamores with 118.5 points. SIU landed third with 82.5 points, while Illinois State (71.5) and Wisconsin-Milwaukee (61) finished fourth and fifth respectively.