SEMO TRACK TEAMS HEAD TO VANDERBILT

Southeast Missouri State University's track teams, continuing to gear up for next month's Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Championships, will compete this weekend in the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tenn.

The Vanderbilt meet Friday and Saturday will feature OVC schools Austin Peay, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Murray State and Tennessee-Martin, along with Middle Tennessee, Belmont and the host squad.

With the Drake Relays coming up next weekend and the OVC Championships the following weekend, Southeast coach Joey Haines said his men's and women's teams will not focus solely on the Vanderbilt Invitational.

"We will train hard this week (for the Drake Relays and OVC Championships) and so we may not have great performances this weekend, but we want to compete well," Haines said.

Southeast is coming off some impressive performances at last weekend's Sea Ray Relays in Knoxville, Tenn., led by thrower Jay Heddell, who was second in the shot put (55 feet 11 inches) and third in the discus (164 feet).

Garvin Ambrose placed fourth in the high jump (6-8) while Jaret Willi finished fifth in the pole vault (16-5 1/4).

The Southeast women will be led by sprinter Heather Keltner, who will compete in the 100-meter and 400-meter dashes, and Amy Arteme, who will run in the 5,000.