Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Track and Field Teams Hosts Spring Classic
03/24/2005 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
March 24, 2005
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - Even though the Carbondale weather isn't off to a great start this spring, that will not stop the Southern Illinois University track and field teams, who host their first outdoor meet of the season, the Saluki Spring Classic, Saturday, Mar. 26 at Lou Hartzog Stadium.
The scored Classic will begin at 9 a.m. and include teams from, Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois and Northern Illinois, as well as UW-Milwaukee, Miami-Ohio, Murray State and Missouri Valley Conference rivals Illinois State and Bradley.
The Salukis return six NCAA Regional participants from a year ago heading into the outdoor season, including five women, all members of the 2005 MVC Indoor Championship team.
Katy Ritten returns for the women. A regional participant in the shot put a year ago, the senior is currently ranks third all-time in SIU history in the hammer throw and fifth in the shot put.
Long sprinters Kelsey Toussaint and Marquita Vines also return from last year's regional qualifying 1600-meter relay team. Toussaint, a senior this spring, qualified in the 400-meter relay and the 100-meter dash as well.
Ty Davis and Inna Turevsky also return after participating in the NCAA Mid-East Regional Meet a year ago. Davis currently owns the fifth-best outdoor 800 time in SIU history after defending her MVC indoor 800 title, while Turevsky has the second-best outdoor mark in the triple jump at SIU after breaking the indoor mark on her way to her own MVC title in that event in February.
Emmanuel Daux returns for the men. A regional qualifier in the 110-meter hurdles in 2004, he recently picked up all-MVC honors for a third-place finish in the 60-meter hurdles at the Indoor Championships.
Throwers Amarachi Ukabam and Mark Milleville, finishing up successful indoor seasons, were both NCAA Indoor Championship participants. Ukabam earned All-American honors in both the shot (7th) and weight throw (9th) at the Championships, while Milleville participated in the weight.
Both Saluki squads look to take momentum from their successful indoor seasons into the outdoor season, working towards the MVC Championships in May.
For Spring Classic results visit www.siusalukis.com following competition.
