Central Men, Women Lead Outdoor Championships

Meet Website | Live Results

EMPORIA, Kan. (ESU Media Relations) -- The Central Missouri men and women have the lead at the turn of the MIAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships hosted by Emporia State.  After six events the Mules lead Pittsburg State by 6.5 points while the Jennies lead Pitt State by 14 points after six events. The Lincoln men and women are in eighth place after the first day, but have the top qualifier on the track in five women’s events and four men’s events heading into Sunday. Reaffirming the MIAA’s status as the top track and field conference in the nation, there were a total of ten automatic and 63 provisional qualifying marks on the day. 

Nebraska Omaha’s Heather Minssen was a double winner with two automatic qualifying marks in the throws.  She won the shot put with a mark of 50-03.50 (15.33m) that ranks second in the nation.  Kayla Muyskens of Central Missouri finished second and Larissa Richards placed third, both with automatic qualifiers.  The next five finishers all had provisional qualifying marks as well in the shot.  Minssen won the discus with an automatic mark of 160-07 (48.96m) that ranks fifth in the nation.  

Darcie Schmitz of Ft. Hays State won the long jump in a field that saw the top eight placers all hit the provisional mark. Schmitz jump of 19-06.00 (5.94m) edged out Jennifer Zweifel of Truman by 2.5 inches.

Pittsburg State’s Michelle Mitchell won the pole vault. She cleared 12-02.00 (3.71m) to get a provisional mark.

Brittney Graff of Pittsburg State won the only final on the track.  She clocked in a 37:58.78 in the 10,000m to win by nearly 17 seconds.

Keniesha Jones of Lincoln broke the only MIAA record on the day.  She turned in a 59.54 in the 400m hurdles to break Christina Winkler’s mark of 59.84 set in 2004. Jones’ time is an automatic qualifier and she also ran a 55.09 for a provisional qualifier in the 400m.

Lincoln’s Judith Riley, the nation’s leader in the 100m coming into the meet, didn’t disappoint.  She ran an automatic qualifier of 11.51 in the 100m and had the top time at 24.24 in the 200m.

Emporia State’s Kathryn Davison broke up the Blue Tigers dominance on the track by turning  in the top time in the 800m prelims.

For the men, Max Alonso was a double winner and double automatic qualifier for Ft. Hays State.  He threw 59-09.75 (18.23m) to move into fourth in the nation in the shot put.  He had previously thrown the discus 183-04 (55.88m) for an autom mark to start the day.

Emporia State’s Josh Honeycutt leapt 23-04.50 (7.12m) to defend his 2010 championship in the long jump and pick up his fifth MIAA outdoor individual title.  He will go for a four-peat in the triple jump on Sunday beginning at 12 noon.

Ethan Hobbs of Pittsburg State had the other win on the day in the field events.  He cleared 15-05.50 (4.71m) to win the pole vault.

In the only final on the track, Central Missouri’s Laban Sialo ran 32:03.51 to win his second 10,000m title in three years.

Bruce Kimour, the nation’s leader in the 100m, turned in an automatic time of 10.36 to lead four Lincoln Blue Tigers into the finals of the event.

Emporia State’s Josh Schuler had the top time in the 200m, as he coasted to a 21.03 to win his heat. Schuler was the only non-Blue Tiger in the top five of the 100m as well.

Lincoln had the top time in the 400m as well.  Dane Hyatt, who had the second best time behind Schuler in the 200m, turned in a 47.70 for a provisional mark in the 400m.

Jermaine Blake ran a 1:52.75 to lead the 800m heading into Sunday’s finals.

The hurdles provided some big marks.  Tyler Shaw ran 14.11 to move into second in the nation in the 110m hurdles.  The Northwest Missouri product was the 2009 MIAA Champion in the event.

Lincoln’s Roxroy Cato had an automatic qualifier of 51.31 to move to third in the nation in the 400m hurdles.

Thirty MIAA Champions will be crowned in five hours on Sunday, beginning with field events at 12 noon.  The men’s 400m relay will open things on the track with a much anticipated duel between Emporia State and Lincoln.  The Hornets and Blue Tigers have the top six qualifiers in the 100m and four of the top five spots in the 200m finals. Central Missouri, however has won eight straight men’s 400m relay finals at the MIAA championships.