Redhawks host SEmotion Relays

Southeast Missouri State's annual outdoor track and field meet is going retro.

The 27th SEmotion Relays will be held today and Saturday at the Abe Stuber Track and Field Complex.

Originated in 1982, the SEmotion Relays name stood until 1997, when it changed to the All Sport Relays, then in 2003 to the Gatorade Classic.

Now SEmotion Relays is back, which longtime Southeast coach Joey Haines believes is only fitting for his final year.

"We're going old school," Haines said with a laugh.

Haines, who will retire at the end of this season, has been meet director for the past 26 years.

"It's been a great meet over the years," Haines said. "We've had numerous NCAA champions and world-class performers. This year we've again got a very talented field."

That includes a world championship gold medalist, along with a world record-holder and two-time NCAA champion.

The only event on today's schedule — the hammer throw, set for 3:30 p.m. — will feature world record-holder and two-time NCAA champ Brittany Riley of Southern Illinois.

Riley holds the world record in the indoor weight throw and has won the last two NCAA weight throw titles. She won last year's SEmotion Relays hammer throw with a meet-record distance of 209 feet, 10 inches.

Riley, ranked No. 1 nationally by Track & Field News, has the second longest throw in the nation this year at 225-8. She will also defend her meet titles in the shot put and discus Saturday.

Southeast senior Miles Smith, who earned a gold medal as part of the United States 1,600-meter relay team at the 2005 World Championships, will run the open 400 meters for the first time this outdoor season at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Smith is a three-time defending champion in the SEmotion Relays 400 and a three-time All-American in the 400.

Smith, ranked fourth nationally by Track & Field News, will shoot at the top time in the nation this season, which is held by Cornelius Duncan of Southern Mississippi at 46.39 seconds.

"If the weather is good, Miles is going to try and run fast," Haines said.

Team entries include men's and women's squads from Southeast, Arkansas State, Southern Illinois-Carbondale, Memphis, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and Southern Indiana.

The Illinois men's team will compete, while the Murray State and Belmont women's squads are entered.

Southeast's men and SIU-Carbondale's women are the defending team champions.

Stricklin honored

Southeast Missouri State javelin thrower Ben Stricklin is the Ohio Valley Conference co-male field athlete of the week.

Stricklin, a senior from Sikeston, won the javelin at Saturday's Mississippi State Invitational with a throw of 192 feet 8 inches.

Stricklin, a senior from Sikeston, has the OVC's best throw this season of 199-8.