Southern Illinois University
MVC Indoor Championships
Men's and Women's Track Squads Both Finish Fourth at MVC Indoor Championships
02/28/2004 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
Feb. 28, 2004
Josh Magill
www.SIUSalukis.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. - The weekend was not exactly what either the men's or women's track and field teams had expected. Though each squad finished fourth at the 2004 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Track and Field Championships, they expected better.
The men's team (56) finished behind Northern Iowa (146), Illinois State (137) and Wichita State (84). The Salukis were able to hold off Indiana State in fifth place with 51 points, Drake (28) and SMS (25).
The women's squad (77) was fourth behind SMS (143), Wichita State (106) and Indiana State (80). The championship was rounded out by Illinois State (45.5), Northern Iowa (42), Drake (29.5) and Bradley (2).
Regardless of where SIU finished in the standings, many Salukis had great performances. Day two of the championship meet saw a freshman, a sophomore and a junior win MVC titles.
Sophomore Ty-Nica Davis won the 800-meter run with a time of 2:14.93, just 1.83 seconds short of her all-time career best. Davis grabbed the title over teammate and last season's defending champion Noa Beitler (senior). Beitler, who holds the school record, posted a time of 2:22.35 for fifth place.
Beitler, a three-time mile champion who holds the MVC all-time record, was also unable to defend that championship from last season as she finished sixth with a time of 5:07.56. Freshman Sarah Rinker followed Beitler in seventh place, crossing the line in 5:07.59. Both finished with season-best times.
Freshman Aaron Robinson helped the men's campaign by winning the high jump title with a leap of 6-09.75. Robinson pulled out his best jump of the season by nearly three inches. Sophomore Freddy Rule placed fourth with a mark of 6-08.
Two juniors, Anthony Acklin and Emmanuel Daux, continued the men's trek with a second and third place in the 60-meter hurdles. Acklin posted his best time of the season with a time of 8.04 for runner-up honors. Daux, after provisionally qualifying for the NCAA national meet Friday, finished third in the finals with a time of 8.06.
Junior Inna Turevsky followed in her sister's footsteps as she won the triple jump with a mark of 41-05.25. The leap set a new MVC all-time and conference meet record by nearly four inches. The old mark was set by Turevsky's sister Rimma in 2000.
In the throwing well, senior Danielle Lawary finished runner-up with a toss of 47-05.25. Lawary was followed by junior Katy Ritten in sixth place with a mark of 45-08, while sophomore Megan Cenkush was eighth with a throw of 42-02.25.
Four Saluki men will participate in the NCAA Indoor National Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., on March 12-13. Results can be found at www.SIUSalukis.com.
