Uchtman highlights Southeast's awards in track, field

Southeast Missouri State took home three of the six Ohio Valley Conference indoor track and field postseason awards announced Thursday.

Josh Uchtman was named male field athlete of the year, Shemeika Brewer was named female freshman of the year and Nate Shipley shared male freshman of the year. Voting was done by the league's coaches.

"It is a big honor to have three of our athletes selected for OVC indoor track awards," Southeast coach Eric Crumpecker said. "Josh has had a great year and has just continued to get better each week. Shemeika had a great start to the season before being slowed by leg injuries, and Nate has been very good in the distance events."

Uchtman has the OVC's best shot put with a distance of 53 feet, 8 1/2 inches. He ranks second in the weight throw (55-1 1/2).

Uchtman, a sophomore from Steeleville, Ill., was third in the shot put at last year's OVC indoor meet. He then finished second in both the shot put and discus outdoors.

Brewer has the OVC's best triple jump (38-7 1/2). The native of Clarksdale, Miss., also ranks sixth in the long jump (17-11 1/4).

Shipley ranks third in the OVC in the 3,000 meters with a time of 8 minutes, 37.30 seconds. The native of St. Charles, Mo., is ninth in the mile (4:22.27).

Uchtman, Brewer and Shipley, along with the rest of Southeast's athletes, now turn their attention to the OVC indoor meet today and Saturday in Charleston, Ill. Eastern Illinois is the host school.

Crumpecker believes Southeast's women have a solid chance at bringing home the championship, while he considers the men underdogs for the title.

"I think the women have a legitimate shot of winning," said Crumpecker, in his first season as coach after spending the previous 17 years as an assistant under the retired Joey Haines. "Eastern Illinois is probably the favorite, but it should be a very tight meet with us, [defending champion] Tennessee State, Eastern Kentucky and Murray State all in the hunt.

"There is no dominant team. We're coming on at the right time. We just have to have a good meet."

Southeast's women tied for fifth last season then placed fourth in the outdoor meet.

"Our women didn't do very good last year, so this is exciting," Crumpecker said.

On the men's side, Eastern Kentucky is the defending champion, although Crumpecker considers Eastern Illinois -- second last year -- a big favorite. Southeast was third in 2008, but later claimed the outdoor crown.

Southeast's men have been hampered by injures to some of their premier athletes. Thrower Brandon Colbert, triple jumper Bilal Hameed, distance runner Brandon Karcher and sprinter Chris Gill all will not compete.

"They've all won multiple OVC titles, probably 10 between them," Crumpecker said. "We're just leaving too many points at home because of injuries.

"It's going to be an uphill battle. If everything falls right, we could contend for the title. But if Eastern Illinois just shows up at all, they should win it."

Southeast will be trying to add to its haul of 21 OVC titles -- 15 by the women and six by the men -- all won under Haines, who retired after 26 seasons.