Southeast track and field to host Haines Invitational today

~ More than 500 individuals will compete in the two-day meet.

Southeast Missouri State's annual outdoor track and field meet will feature some of the best overall competition it has seen in years.

That's the opinion of Eric Crumpecker, Southeast's first-year coach who served as an assistant with the program since 1991.

"We've got a few more teams than we've had in the past and some teams that haven't been here in a while," Crumpecker said. "It should be a really good field with excellent teams and a lot of great individuals.

"Every race is very competitive. We're looking forward to an outstanding meet."

The 28th annual Joey Haines Invitational -- formerly SEmotion Relays -- will take place today and Saturday at the Abe Stuber Complex.

There will be only one event today, the hammer throw for men and women at 3:30 p.m. The bulk of the meet will be Saturday, with field events starting at 11 a.m., followed by running events at 11:30 a.m.

Haines is Southeast's longtime coach who retired last year. Crumpecker took over for his mentor and now assumes the title of meet director.

"It's a little more answering phone calls, people asking questions, but mostly it's pretty much the same sort of thing I've always been doing," said Crumpecker, who previously assisted Haines in running the meet. "We've always got a lot of good help, people who know what they're doing."

Eleven women's teams and nine men's squads will participate.

In addition to Southeast, schools with both men's and women's teams will be Southern Illinois, Memphis, Arkansas State, Western Illinois, Central Arkansas, Lincoln, Rend Lake College and Florissant Valley Community College.

Missouri State and Murray State will enter only women's squad's.

Lincoln, Rend Lake and Florissant Valley are the only non-Division I schools.

Lincoln is the reigning Division II indoor women's national champion while Rend Lake has claimed several national junior college titles.

Among the Division I programs, SIU's women won this year's Missouri Valley Conference indoor title, while Southeast's men captured last season's Ohio Valley Conference outdoor crown.

Three athletes who participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics highlight the field of more than 500 individuals.

Semoy Hackett of Lincoln competed for Jamaica in the hurdles and sprints in Beijing, advancing to the second round of the 100 meters.

Davita Prendergrast, who competed for Lincoln last season, participated in the open 400 and 1,600 relay for Jamaica in Beijing. She will run the 400 unattached this weekend.

Former Arkansas hurdler Tiavannia Thompson competed for Bahamas in Beijing. She will run the 100 and 100 hurdles unattached this weekend.

"It's impressive to have several Olympians here," Crumpecker said. "There will be a lot of great competition."

The team competition will be scored as a series of dual meets among the Division I squads based on the best won-loss records in the duals.

SIU is the defending champion in both the men's and women's divisions, along with capturing the 2008 overall title.

"SIU Is really good. They're really up right now," Crumpecker said. "They would probably be the toughest competition in the meet as far as the team score goes."

Crumpecker expects Southeast's men and women to make their share of noise.

"Our kids like to compete at home," he said. "We're looking for a lot of good performances."