ALL SPORT CLASSIC FIELD SHOULD FEATURE AN UPGRADE IN TALENT

The 20th annual ALL SPORT Classic should feature some of its top talent in the last several years.

That's the opinion of Southeast Missouri State University track coach Joey Haines, who serves as the meet director for the event that will be held this weekend at the Abe Stuber Track & Field Complex.

"We've added Southwest Missouri, which hasn't been here for a few years, and they have a really good program, so that will strengthen the field by itself," said Haines. "I think the overall quality should be better than it's been. Every event seems to have some real quality people.

"It should be a really exciting meet. This is the big home meet of the season every year for our athletes and they always look forward to it. We seem to always run well at home, with their friends and other students coming out to cheer them on."

Virtually all of the competition will be held Saturday, although the event technically gets under way today with the hammer throw at 5 p.m.

Saturday, action will begin at 9:30 a.m with the final event scheduled for 3 p.m.

Nine women's teams will compete. Joining Southeast in the field are Austin Peay, Arkansas State, Tennessee-Martin, Murray State, Southwest Missouri, Southern Illinois, Missouri-Kansas City and Western Illinois.

The seven-team men's field, in addition to Southeast, will include Arkansas State, Murray State, Southwest Missouri, Southern Illinois, Missouri-Kansas City and Western Illinois.

Southeast's women and Missouri-Kansas City's men are the defending champions, with Missouri-Kansas City capturing the combined title.

Field looks strong

Haines expects his teams to be in the running for all three crowns, but they'll face plenty of competition.

On the women's side, Haines regards Ohio Valley Conference indoor champion Austin Peay as the favorite, but he expects Southeast and Southwest Missouri to also be in the running, along with perhaps Southern Illinois and Western Illinois.

Haines thinks the men's race could very well come down to a battle between Southeast and Southwest Missouri, but Missouri-Kansas City, Southern Illinois and Arkansas State should also be in the running.

"Our teams should be right in there, but so should several others," Haines said. "The team races should be really close and exciting."

As for the combined championship, Haines believes the prime contenders are Southeast, Southwest Missouri, Southern Illinois, Missouri-Kansas City and Arkansas State.

SE defending champs

Southeast returns several champions, led by women's standout Heather Keltner, who has won an amazing 12 ALL SPORT Classic titles during her brilliant collegiate career.

Keltner is the defending champ in the 200-meter and 400-meter dashes and she also ran legs on the Otahkians' victorious 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams last year.

"Heather has quite a record going in this meet and hopefully she can pick up another one or two (titles) this weekend," said Haines.

Natalie Talley, despite being bothered by a nagging hamstring injury, will be back to defend her title in the 100 and she also returns from the 4x100 squad. Kelly High graduate Amy Arteme will try to repeat as the 5,000 champion.

Returning winners for Southeast's men are Brandon Myer in the discus and Perryville High product Tyson Brown in the 800. The Indians also won last year's 4x400, with Brown a part of that group.

Southeast's women are hampered by the injuries of two top performers as Shauna Birge (hamstring) and Hannah Stuckenschneider (stress fracture) will both miss the meet. Their losses will severely hurt the Otahkians' relay teams as they go up against powerhouse squads from Southwest Missouri.

Among other Otahkians Haines expects to compete for top finishes are three freshmen: Kaci Pilcher in the 800 and 1,500; Megan Youse in the shot put and discus; and Lyndsey Stevenson in the hurdles; along with Cape Central High graduate Courtney Haman in the javelin and high jump.

Despite missing Birge and Stuckenschneider, Haines still expects his relay teams to be solid. On the 4x100 squad are Keltner, Robbi Durham, Darla Hannan and Talley while the 4x400 group is made up of Durham, Laura Van Hoevelaak, Pilcher and Keltner.

On the men's side, Haines looks for particularly good things from the likes of Jarret Willi in the pole vault; Myer and freshman Jay Heddell in both the shot put and discus; Brown in the 800; Shelton Scott in the triple jump; Derrick Brown and Emmanuel Opoku in the 100; Glenn Haley in the hurdles; Garvin Ambrose in the high jump; and the 4x100 relay team of Leslie Weaver, Opoku, Chris Donze and Brown.