Track team will host Redhawks Invitational

The Southeast Missouri State track and field program will have its only home meet of the indoor season today, the annual Redhawks Invitational.

Action at the Student Recreation Center will begin at 4 p.m. with field events. Running events start at 6:30 p.m. There is no admission charge.

Joining Southeast in the field will be Ohio Valley Conference rivals Austin Peay and Murray State, along with Memphis, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Mississippi College and Rust College.

"Our athletes always like to compete in front of friends and family. We usually have a lot of really good performances in this meet," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said.

Southeast claimed 11 of the 24 individual titles at last year's Redhawks Invitational.

Today's competition will be Southeast's final tuneup before next weekend's OVC indoor meet in Charleston, Ill.

Academic honors

Southeast is among seven OVC cross country programs to earn All-Academic status from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

Southeast and Eastern Illinois were the only OVC schools to have both its men's and women's teams earn the honor.

Southeast's men had a cumulative 3.54 grade-point average for the fall semester, fourth-highest in the nation, while the women were at 3.30.

The OVC had two men's teams and five women's squads recognized. Nationally, there were 152 men's teams and 192 women's squads recognized.

-- From staff reports