February 28, 2008

Gorillas Squads Ready for 2008 MIAA Indoor Championships

    PITTSBURG -- The Pittsburg State University men’s and women’s indoor track & field teams will travel to Joplin, Mo., Friday and Saturday (Feb. 29-Mar.1) to compete in the 2008 Mid-America Intecollegiate Athletics Association Championships.
    The two-day meet starts at 12:30 p.m. (CST) Friday at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the campus of Missouri Southern State University. Saturday’s action begins at 10 a.m.
    Both Gorilla squads enter the weekend competition as underdogs in MIAA title pursuits, but PSU head coach Russ Jewett feels that both teams are within striking distance of the top squads.
    “I don’t remember either of our teams ever being favorites to win an indoor title, but we’ve won a few over the years,” Jewett said. “I think both teams have a chance to win each side. It may take absolutely PR performances from most of our athletes to reach those goals and it make take Central Missouri and Missouri Southern not reaching their potential, but it’s a possibility.”
    On the women’s side, Southern enters the competition as the pre-meet favorite, according to Jewett, with UCM, Emporia State and Pitt State following closely behind. The Lions show strengths in the throwing events and the distance races. MSSU has four of the top five marks of the season in the weight throw and three of the top six marks in the shot put, as well as two of the top three times in the 5,000 meters.
    Pitt State’s Kiley Lund and Emily Middleton each have the second-best mark (5-7) in the high jump entering the competition, while Sarah Thurber ranks second in the 60 meter hurdles (9.16). The Gorillas’ distance medley relay has the top time in that event (12:23.36).
    “I not sure we match up well with Southern as a team in terms of team strengths and where there might be swing points in events, but there are strong possibilities with swing points against Central in the jumps and sprints.”
    On the men’s side, Central Missouri enters the competition as the pre-meet favorite, according to Jewettt, with Southern, ESU and Pitt State following closely behind the Mules. UCM has clear strengths in the throwing events, holding three of the top four marks in the weight throw and two of the top three marks in the shot put. The Mules also figure to generate several points in the long sprints.
    Pitt State’s Jeremy Jackson (7.97) and Jeremy Dunkle (8.02) ranks one-two in the 60 meter hurdles entering the MIAA Championships, while Kiara Jones has the top mark in the triple jump (48-2.75).
    “We’ll have to compete well to have a chance,” Jewett said. “Southern always competes well at home and they won the indoor title last year. Central has the most talented team of the field. We need to be strong in some areas where there are swing points available to stay in the race.”