OTAHKIANS CAPTURE SALUKI INVITATIONAL

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The Southeast Missouri women's track team boasted four individual champions en route to winning the 11-team McDonald's/Saluki Invitational Saturday on the campus of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Southeast's women totaled 111 points to win by 20 points over host SIU, which finished at 91.5. Eastern Illinois was next with 88, followed by Tennessee-Martin 50, Memphis, 36.5, McKendree College 36, Arkansas State 30, Murray State 24, Parkland College 20, Wisconsin-Parkside 18, and Valparaiso 13.

In the men's competition, Southeast placed third with 78.5, well behind champion SIU at 130.5. Memphis finished a distant second with 93, followed by Southeast, McKendree College 61, Murray State 57, Parkland College 24, Eastern Illinois 18, Arkansas State 18, and Valparaiso 9.

Jon Riley led the Indians with two first-place finishes. Riley won the long jump with a leap of 24-8.25 and claimed the triple jump with a 51-8.25 effort. The latter distance is a provisional qualifier for the NCAA finals.

Southeast's Scott Tate also won the 55-meter high hurdles in 7.81.

The Otahkians excelled in the middle distances. In the 800, Southeast swept the top three spots as Tammy Wenkel led the 1-2-3 finish in 2:09.78. Janelle Quigley placed second (2:15.58) and Estelle McHargue was third (2:17.65).

Yvonne Hente led a 1-2-4 finish in the 400, winning in 56.47. Heather Keltner finished second (56.48) and Kim Stewart was fourth (57.82).

Natalie Talley won the 55-meter dash in 7.10 and Latricia Purham won the shot put with a throw of 44-7.

Other Southeast performances in the top eight.

Women: 200 dash -- Hente 2nd (25.04), Heather Keltner 3rd (25.31), Talley 5th (25.64); shot put -- Jennifer Phillips 6th (40-7.75); triple jump -- Renee Bergmeier 5th (36-5.75), Phillips 7th (35-1.75); long jump Bergmeier 4th (17-7.5); high jump -- Erin McCuen 2nd (5-3); 3,000 run -- Leslie McNamara 6th (10:38.71); 5,000 run -- Celeste Ramsey 2nd (18:13.84); 55 high hurdles -- Becky Shull 8th (8.84).

Men: 5,000 run -- Erin Rhodes 7th (16:23); 55 high hurdles -- Glenn Haley 4th (7.98); long jump -- Eugene Staten 4th (23-2.5); triple jump -- Staten 5th (44-10.75); 4x400 relay -- Southeast 4th (3:29.96); 55 dash -- Derrick Brown 3rd (6.53), Ryan Steck 5th (6.59); shot put -- Brian Alfultis 2nd (52-10.73); pole vault Jaret Willi 8th (15-4.25).