Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Women's Track Competing At Billy Hayes Invitational Saturday
05/09/2002 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
May 9, 2002
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois University women's track and field team will be competing in its final regular-season meet Saturday as they will travel to Indiana University for the Billy Hayes Invitational. The meet will kick off at 11:45 a.m. with the long jump and wrap up after the conclusion of the women's 4x400-meter relay at 4:25 p.m.
The meet will be the last chance for many Saluki standouts to improve on their season-best times and marks this season, as the Missouri Valley Conference Outdoor Championships will begin May 15 at the University of Northern Iowa.
Several Salukis should compete for MVC titles, as their are currently five SIU athletes ranked in the top-three in the MVC in their primary events.
Three-time MVC high jump champion Latrice Gray is coming off an outdoor season-best jump of 5 feet, 7 3/4 inches in last week's Butler Invitational, moving her up to the No. 3 spot on the Valley best list. Freshman sprinter Kelsey Toussaint continues to impress in the 100m and 200m, and is currently ranked No. 2 in the MVC in the 400-meter run (55.58). Transfer Korto Dunbar has enjoyed an outstanding outdoor season and is sitting at the No. 2 position in the Valley in the 100-meter hurdles (14.27). Danielle Lawary has steadily improved in the shot put throughout the outdoor season and is now ranked second (46-7 1/2) in the MVC. Last, but not least, is Mariann Ahuna, who has already provisionally qualifed for the NCAA Championships and set an SIU record in the triple jump with a leap of 42 feet, six inches. Despite that outstanding mark, the freshman is still ranked second in the Valley behind Ineta Radevica of Wichita State (42-9).
Other SIU athletes with a chance of earning all-conference honors are: Julia Roundtree (800m), Katie Meehan (17:33.09), Inna Turevsky (triple jump) and Venisha Williams (discus).
Meet results will be available Saturday night on the official SIU athletic website, www.siusalukis.com.
