Woodruff places third in 800 at Drake Relays

Southeast Missouri State junior Brooke Woodruff had the top finish in an event final for the Redhawks on Friday at the Drake Relays, placing third in the 800-meter run.

Woodruff covered the distance in a time of 2 minutes, 9.14 seconds, less than 2 seconds off the winning time of 2:07.88 posted by Oklahoma Baptist sophomore Kyta Ferrer.

The Southeast men's 400-meter relay track team won its heat Friday and qualified for the event final. The foursome of Jon Jefferson, Tim Jefferson, Miles Smith and Chris Poindexter posted a time of 40.91 seconds, capturing the slowest of the three heats. They edged Texas-Arlington, which ran a time of 40.96 seconds. Oregon posted the top qualifying time of 40.05 seconds with Northern Iowa next at 40.10.

The final is this afternoon.

Brian Knippen was seventh in the shot put for Southeast, posting a mark of 56 feet, 1/2 inch. He made that toss on his first attempt and then fouled on the next five attempts. Conrad Woolsey of Missouri won the event at 61-2, becoming the only athlete to better 60 feet at the event.

Knippen was 21st in the discus at 156-11.

Alonzo Nelson was ninth in the 400-meter hurdles final, finishing in 53.08. Abe Jones of Illinois, running in the same heat, was first in 50.81 inches.