From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Kimi Shank, a Missouri Southern sophomore, earned a ticket to the national championships in the first outdoor track and field meet of the season on Friday.
Shank ran the 5,000 meters in a school-record time of 17 minutes, 7.11 seconds at the Florida State Snowbird Invitational.
Her time shattered the 10-year-old school record (17:33.68), set by Sonia Eudy Blacketer.
Sophomore Victoria Kline, from Fairland, Okla., had a provisional qualifying time in the same race with a personal-best 17:42.66 clocking.
“It was really perfect conditions for them (distance runners),” said Patty Vavra, Southern women’s coach. “It was probably 60 degrees and there was no wind.
“For Victoria, that’s like a minute improvement over last year’s best time (in the 5K).”
Senior Jessica Selby-Tallman added a provisional qualifying mark for the NCAA Division II championships with a throw of 176 feet, 11 inches in the hammer. Selby-Tallman was second in the event, behind the 189-2 effort of Florida’s Shawneise Williams.
Southern junior Jessica Self was sixth in the hammer (148-10) and seventh in the discus (135-2).
The Lions’ Jill Weeks was fifth in the javelin (119-1).
The Lions will wrap up competition in the Snowbird Invitational today.
Sports
Shank earns early ticket to nationals
- Sports
-
-
Kickapoo girls race past Joplin
Annie Armstrong poured in 21 points to lead the Kickapoo girls to a 65-28 victory over Joplin on Thursday night in an Ozark Conference basketball game at Missouri Southern’s Young Gymnasium.
-
District wrestling tournaments begin tonight
Neosho’s wrestling lineup will have a different look when the Class 3 district wrestling tournament begins at 6 p.m. today at Carthage.
-
Late board work carries Lions past Pittsburg State
Pittsburg State displayed its offensive rebounding muscle during Wednesday night’s game at Missouri Southern.
-
Pitching holds key for softball Lions
Pitching is the main question Missouri Southern must answer as the Lions open their softball season today in Abilene, Texas.
-
Quapaw completes 12-0 run through Lucky '7' Conference
Quapaw High School girls basketball coach Rod Graves expected the 2011-12 Wildcats to compile another successful season.
They haven’t been a disappointment. -
Hillsdale women stop OCC
Visiting Hillsdale Free Will Baptist handed Ozark Christian a 68-47 loss in women’s college basketball on Thursday night.
-
Lions survive Pitt State in 2OT
Hitting a big shot, then committing a turnover during the final minute of regulation, Marquis Addison went through an emotional roller coaster.
-
No. 10 Gorillas beat MSSU women
Brooke Conley’s recent offensive surge continued Wednesday night.
Conley poured in 25 points — her third 20-point effort in the last six games — to lead No. 10 Pittsburg State past Missouri Southern 88-74 at the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center. -
Tomlin, Steelers welcome Haley as new coordinator
Throughout the 16 minutes that followed him glowingly introducing former Kansas City Chiefs coach Todd Haley as his new offensive coordinator, Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin stood proudly in the corner of the second-floor media room at the team’s facility.
-
Rangers, Cruz strike $16M, 2-year deal
Two-time defending AL champion Texas has avoided arbitration with another of its core players, agreeing Thursday to a $16 million, two-year contract with AL championship series MVP Nelson Cruz.
- More Sports Headlines
-






