Smith to receive award from Missouri Sports Hall of Fame

Southeast Missouri State junior Miles Smith, a gold medalist at the last summer's World Track and Field Championships in Helsinki, Finland, will be honored with a 2005 Missouri Sports Achievement Award from the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

Smith will be introduced at the Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at 6 p.m. Sunday at the University Plaza Convention Center in Springfield, Mo. He will also be on hand that afternoon for a reception at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.

"It is certainly an honor that was well earned," said Southeast track coach Joey Haines, who will join Smith at the festivities. "Miles represented Southeast Missouri State, his home town of St. Louis, the state of Missouri and the USA when he competed on the world stage in Helsinki.

"Winning a gold medal at a World Championship is quite an achievement."

Smith was a member of the United States 1,600-meter relay team that won the gold medal in Helsinki.

Smith will compete at the Iowa State Invitational in Ames, Iowa, Friday and Saturday before attending Sunday's festivities. He is currently ranked ninth nationally in the indoor 400-meter dash.

Volleyball raises money

The Southeast volleyball team raised $15,100 in its annual Dig for Life campaign. The money was recently presented to Saint Francis Medical Center toward its breast cancer research and treatment.

This is the second-straight year the Redhawks have raised at least $15,000 toward the education and support services provided by Saint Francis Medical Center to assist individuals throughout Southeast Missouri affected by breast cancer.

The Dig for Life campaign was started in 2000 by former Southeast volleyball coach and current Southeast associate athletic director Cindy Gannon, and sponsored by Saint Francis Medical Center to help educate women about breast cancer.

Since 2000, more than $50,000 has been raised by Dig For Life.

--From staff reports