Fri, Aug 08 2008
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Published May 10, 2008 01:11 am - Lions make final bids to qualify for nationals By Jim Fryar
jfryar@joplinglobe.com The meet is called the Emporia State Twilight Qualifier. More to the point, it’s a last-chance track and field meet. Today’s meet is the final opportunity for Missouri Southern athletes to improve on qualifying standards for the NCAA Division II Outdoor Championships later this month in Pomona, Calif. The Lions have 21 athletes who have met provisional qualifying standards for the national meet, in a total of 25 events. Five Southern athletes have met the D-2 automatic qualifying marks. But for the several still on the fringe of qualifying, today’s meet could determine whether they make the field for nationals. Falling in that category are senior T.J. Britton in the 800-meter run, sophomore Corey Reynolds in the high jump, senior Jacob Williams in the pole vault and junior Jessica Self and sophomore Cortney Vie in the discus. The top 16 qualifiers in each event will be invited to nationals. In some events, 17 or 18 athletes will be invited. The Lions’ “bubble” athletes are all ranked somewhere between 12th and 16th entering the final day of competition. “We’re going to take all of our pole vaulters and high jumpers,” said Tom Rutledge, Southern men’s coach. “Reynolds is in pretty good shape and Horn (junior Phillip) is probably going to make it (in the decathlon). He has a pretty substantial score.” Senior Russell Ellis is the only Southern vaulter with an automatic qualifying mark. Williams, junior Seager Wilson and sophomore Corey Shumate all remain in search of their first 16-foot vaults of the outdoor season. Rutledge believes Reynolds, from Neosho, can qualify for the high jump with his current effort. High jumper Chris Brown, who is recovering from a broken leg incurred last fall, could also qualify for nationals with one big leap, Rutledge noted. Senior John Isenmann, from Jasper, will take another shot at improving his mark in the hammer. Two Lions who won’t run today are sophomore Brennan Benkert, in the 10,000, and freshman Aki Nummela, in the 1,500. Benkert simply hasn’t had enough recovery time since the conference race last Saturday and Nummela is battling lingering illness, Rutledge said. Senior Jessica Selby-Tallman will compete today to stay sharp. She’s the national leader in the hammer and is tied for first nationally in the shot put. Self, Vie, sophomore Emilie Mieseler (hammer) and sophomore Jill Weeks (javelin) will also compete today. 
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