Southeast turns into OVC track's title team

Track and field is not a traditional team sport because, except for relays, it contains mostly individual competitions.

But that didn't lessen the thrill for Southeast Missouri University's women when they captured the Ohio Valley Conference outdoor title last weekend in Nashville, Tenn.

The Otahkians scored 193 points to ease past Eastern Kentucky (174) and gain a measure of revenge on host Tennessee State (140.5), which last year got to celebrate in Cape Girardeau while the Otahkians finished second at the Abe Stuber Complex.

It was the Otahkians' eighth OVC title since joining the league in 1991 and their first since 2000, when they won both the indoor and outdoor championships.

"The girls were really excited because of the championship ring," Southeast coach Joey Haines said with a laugh. "You can't win the ring by yourself. You don't get a ring for just winning an event."

Added Haines, "It was just a super meet by our women. We had to watch Tennessee State celebrate at our place last year, and it was nice to celebrate at their place."

No kidding, said the Otahkians as they went through a Tuesday workout at the Stuber Complex.

"It was awesome," said senior Courtney Haman, who won two titles. "Winning an event is nice, but the team winning is the best."

Central products shine

Haman, a Central High School graduate, won the javelin for the third straight year and the high jump for the first time after she cleared a school-record 5 feet, 9 inches.

Haman said it was particularly satisfying that she excelled in the high jump once again -- she was a standout in that event in high school -- to compliment her prowess in the javelin, which she never attempted before coming to Southeast.

"It was incredible because that was my thing in high school," Haman said, smiling. "The jump felt effortless."

Fellow Central product Heather Jenkins, a sophomore, was the co-MVP of the meet and won the discus and shot put for the second straight season. Jenkins also captured the shot put and weight throw at this year's OVC indoor meet, giving her six conference titles already. She qualified for nationals in the discus last season and holds the school record in that event.

"It was exciting for me to win again, but knowing you helped contribute to the team winning and you're going to get a ring is really exciting," Jenkins said.

Other winners for the Otahkians were sophomore Kris Woolf in the 10,000-meters, redshirt freshman Brooke Woodruff in the 800 as she duplicated her indoor title and freshman Michelle Jett in the pole vault.

Also contributing to the team title were a host of athletes who placed second through eighth and accumulated valuable points.

"That's usually what wins it for you," Haines said. "Everybody contending has up-front people. It's who can get the other points that makes the difference."

Particularly impressive for the Otahkians among the runner-up performances was the 1,600 relay team of senior Laura VanHoevelaak, senior Hannah Stuckenschneider, Woodruff and sophomore LaQuita Andrews, which turned in the second-fastest time in school history (3:41.75).

Men also strong

While not winning the title, Haines said Southeast's men reached its potential by finishing second behind seven-time defending champion Eastern Illinois. The Indians had 141 points to 236.3 for the Panthers.

"There was basically no way Eastern Illinois was going to finish anywhere but first, but for us to get second was really good," said Haines, whose men's squad has won three OVC titles. "We were as proud of them as we were of the women.

"This was a rebuilding year for the men. We redshirted some people and sat on some scholarships, but we've recruited well and we think we can put ourselves in a position to compete for the championship next year. Both our teams were really young this year, so the future for both is really bright."

Southeast's men won five championships, including junior Jay Heddell's third straight discus title, senior Shelton Scott's third straight triple jump crown -- and his seventh OVC title overall -- and senior Brandon Myer's third shot put title, the others coming in 2000 and 2001 before he redshirted last year.

"It felt good to win after being out for a year," Myer said.

Heddell and Myer have been the OVC's top weight throwers the last few years. Heddell won the indoor shot put but didn't mind his teammate overtaking him outdoors.

"It was good that Brandon won the shot and I won the discus," said Heddell, who has won six OVC titles.

Freshman Jordan Willi won the pole vault to duplicate his indoor title and has stepped right into the big shoes of older brother Jaret, who graduated from Southeast last year as a six-time OVC pole vault champion.

"He brought me into the pole vault in the fifth grade," Jordan Willi said of his brother. "It was exciting to pick up where he left off."

The Indians' final OVC champion was junior Chad Sierman in the 3,000 steeplechase.

Looking toward regionals

Southeast's teams will have two meets left in the regular season -- at Indiana this weekend and at Georgia Tech the following weekend -- prior to the NCAA Mideast Regional May 30-31 in Columbus, Ohio.

Numerous Southeast athletes already have qualified for the regional, which is a new concept by the NCAA. Previously, athletes advanced directly to the national meet through stringent qualifying standards that were difficult to attain for mid-level programs like Southeast.

Women's regional qualifiers are Haman (javelin, high jump); Jenkins (shot put, discus); Jett (pole vault); Woodruff (800); Stuckenschneider (400); VanHoevelaak (400 hurdles); junior Lyndsey Stevenson (100 hurdles); the 1,600 relay team; and the 400 relay team (sophomore Meleisa Greene, Andrews, freshman Natasha Fortenberry and freshman Rose Fulton).

Men's regional qualifiers are Heddell (shot put, discus); Myer (shot put, discus); Scott (triple jump); Sierman (3,000 steeplechase); and Willi (pole vault).

"We've already got a really good group qualified, and hopefully we can get a few more in the next couple of weeks," Haines said.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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