Southern Illinois University
SIU Outdoor Tri-Meet
Judge And Ahuna Lead SIU Track At Saluki Spring Classic
03/23/2002 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
March 23, 2002
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Taking a cue from the Saluki men's basketball team, the Southern Illinois University men's and women's track and field teams took on some big-name competition this weekend at the Saluki Spring Classic and showed they were able to compete with the big boys.
The Saluki men placed third in an eight-team field with 92.5 points, and the SIU women - led by a school-record setting performance by Mariann Ahuna - were fifth in an eight team field, each of which contained teams from the Big 10 and Big 12 conferences.
The Saluki men didn't have quite enough horses to overtake meet-champion Kansas (119) and Missouri Valley Conference rival Northern Iowa (107), but did have the satisfaction of finishing ahead of regional rivals Indiana State (81) and Illinois (74), as well as Missouri (58), Eastern Illinois (51) and Missouri-Kansas City (5.5).
Central Michigan easily won the women's team-title (172), followed by Kansas (115), Missouri (99.5), Northern Iowa (60), SIU (57), Indiana State (36), Missouri-Kansas City (26) and Eastern Illinois (18).
Ahuna, a freshman from Tallinn, Estonia, shattered Heather Greeling's five-year old SIU record in the outdoor triple jump with a leap of 41 feet, 3 3/4 inches. That mark better's Greeling's by two inches and was easily good enough for a first place finish. Ahuna was just a half an inch off the NCAA provisional qualifying standard.
Toussaint clocked in at 55.58 seconds to take the 400-meter dash, and also had a strong second-place showing in the 200-meter dash at 25.27 seconds. Dunbar came out ahead by a good margin in the 100-meter hurdles (15.27).
Jeff Young and Jaanus Uudmae led the men with first-place finishes. Young clocked in at 14.38 seconds to easily win the 110-meter hurdles, while Uudmae had a leap of 49 feet, 11 1/4 inches in to take the triple jump.
Despite a second-place finish, junior Adam Judge had perhaps the most impressive Saluki performance of the day in the hammer throw. Judge provisionally qualified for the NCAA Championships and shattered his own personal-best with a toss of 202 feet, but finished behind Micah Shanks of Missouri. Judge's throw beat his old personal-best by 24 feet.
Other impressive performances for SIU men included second-place times by Kevin Mills (100-meter dash, 11.10) Eli Baker (3,000-meter steeple chase, 9:25.85), Nyles Stuart (long jump, 23-3 1/2) and Willie Davis (400-meter run, 47.94). Other top showings for the women included Danielle Lawary's third-place finish in the shot put (45-6 1/2) and Katie Meehan's fourth-place showing in the 5,000-meter run (18:07.61).
Times in most running events were slower than usual due to chilly and blustery conditions throughout the day.
Both teams will have two weeks off before returning to action at separate away meets the weekend of April 5-6. The Saluki men will travel to the Texas All-Sport Relays, while the women will travel to South Carolina.
Special Note: Indiana State's Rico Tinnin was inadvertently left out of the official meet results in the triple jump. Tinnin placed fourth with a jump 47 feet, 7 1/4 inches.
