The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

Pittsburg State Sports

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February 26, 2013

National indoor track meet includes 12 MSSU entries, 7 PSU entries

From staff reports

Missouri Southern has qualified 12 entries — seven men and five women — for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Pittsburg State has five entries in the national meet, scheduled for March 7-9 at the Birmingham (Ala.) CrossPlex as part of the Division II National Championships Festival.

Missouri Southern’s men, ranked 21st in this week’s national poll and fourth in the region, are led by sophomore sprinter Jeff Fraley, who is seeded fifth in the 200 meters and 12th in the 60.

Jayce Thomas is ranked seventh in the heptathlon, and in the field events, Darion Boure is seeded ninth in the triple jump, Seth Hackney 10th in the shot put, Clark Tanksley 11th in the high jump and Michael Juergens 15th in the pole vault.

The Lion women, ranked third in the region after last weekend’s second-place finish in the MIAA Championships, have two qualifiers in the pole vault — Melanie Bower (ninth seed) and Sydney Haase (15th). Kylie Cornman qualified 11th in the shot put, and Brittani Reagan is 12th in the triple jump and 16th in the long jump.

Pittsburg State senior Colbie Snyder, a graduate of Joplin High School, has cleared 16-9 1/2 for the second best mark in the country in the pole vault. Jeff Piepenbrink, who prepped at Jasper, is seeded 10th in the event.

The Gorillas also qualified Keenan Soles (fourth in the long jump) and Jordan Riffel (sixth in the 200).

Emily Ballock of PSU is ranked 13th in the women’s 800 meters.

A total of 70 athletes from MIAA schools qualified for the national indoor meet. Lincoln advanced 20 entries to the women’s meet, and Central Missouri qualified nine men.

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