Salukis begin outdoor season Friday at Vanderbilt Black and Gold Meet

Competition begins Friday at 4 p.m. with the hammer throw.

	Sophomore DeAnna Price earned All-America status in the hammer throw as a freshman in 2012.

March 21, 2013

Meet Schedule | Heat Sheet

By Tyler Wooten
SIUSalukis.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Saluki track and field squad will begin the 2013 outdoor season this Friday and Saturday at the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Meet.

Overall, Southern returns seven All-MVC performers, three MVC event champions, three second-team All-Americans and one first-team All-American (DeAnna Price, hammer throw) from the 2012 outdoor season.

The most prominent storyline of this outdoor campaign will be the return of senior thrower J.C. Lambert, who sat out the 2012 outdoor season due to injury. Lambert -- a four-time All-American (once outdoors: 2010, hammer throw) and 2012 indoor NCAA runner-up in the weight throw -- looks to bolster an already-stacked lineup of throwers gearing to compete in a talent-heavy Missouri Valley Conference.

Joining Lambert as the upperclassman leadership on the men's side will be sprinter Matthew Benes, distance runners Zach Dahleen and Brian Dixon, jumpers Dougie Palacious and Eric Reeves and pole vaulter/sprinter Ryan Sidwell.

On the women's side, Southern will feel the absence of two-time outdoor national champion Jeneva McCall and All-American Malaikah Love. However, if the indoor season is any indication, veteran Salukis such as Kenya Culmer, Kim Fortney and Tess Shubert will be able to shoulder the burden left in their wake.

In addition, the younger generation of Salukis in line to take hold of the torch had impressive indoor campaigns and will likely contribute to Southern's success in the outdoor season. On the women's side, this includes underclassmen student-athletes such as Remy Abrought, Lauren Cheadle, Sadie Darnell, Kelley Gallagher, Sophia Lozano, DeAnna Price, Mobola Rotibi and Nirupama Sunderraj, as well as Juan Carrera, Blake Green, Josh Freeman, Oscar Medina, Bradley Sauer, Brandon Shemonia and Curtis Wideman from the men's side.

Competition begins at 4 p.m. on Friday with the hammer throw.

Returning 2012 Outdoor All-MVC:
Women
Kenya Culmer
Mallory Dreyer
Lacey Gibson
Mobola Rotibi
Men
Lucas Cherry
Zach Dahleen
Dougie Palacious

Returning 2012 Outdoor MVC Champions:
Kenya Culmer - High Jump
Zach Dahleen - 1500m
Dougie Palacious - Triple Jump

Returning 2012 Outdoor All-Americans:
DeAnna Price - Hammer Throw - 10th place (top-eight Americans)

Returning 2012 Outdoor Second-Team All-Americans:
Zach Dahleen - 1500m
Kim Fortney - Shot Put
Dougie Palacious - Triple Jump

Thursday, May 23
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Austin, Texas	TBA
Friday, May 24
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Austin, Texas	TBA
Saturday, May 25
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Austin, Texas	TBA
Wednesday, June 5
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Eugene, Ore.	TBA
Thursday, June 6
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Eugene, Ore.	TBA
Friday, June 7
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Eugene, Ore.	TBA
Saturday, June 8
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Eugene, Ore.	TBA
Wednesday, June 19
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Des Moines, Iowa	TBA
Thursday, June 20
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Des Moines, Iowa	TBA
Friday, June 21
SPORT	LOCATION	TIME	MEDIA
Track	Des Moines, Iowa	TBA