Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Track and Field Teams Face Tough Field at Mississippi Invitational
04/07/2005 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
April 7, 2005
By Shalae Schulte
www.siusalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - The Southern Illinois' track and field teams have stayed close to home for the first two meets of the outdoor season, but both teams will pack their bags for the first big road trip of the spring as they travel to Oxford, Miss., Saturday April 9. The Salukis will take on the 23-team field at the Mississippi Invitational hosted by Ole Miss.
SIU will be the lone Missouri Valley Conference team in the pack up against several SEC and Conference USA schools including Alabama, Tulsa, Memphis, LSU, Florida and host Ole Miss.
The tough competition is expected to prepare the Dawgs for the conference meet as well as produce and improve qualifying marks for the NCAA Regional Meet. In just two meets this season SIU has qualified nine athletes in 11 events for regionals.
Amarachi Ukabam is qualified in the hammer throw, shot put and discus. The junior ranks second nationally in the shot and 10th in the disc. Other throwers qualified include Megan Cenkush in the women's shot put and both Mark Milleville and Matt Weishaar in the men's hammer throw.
Jumpers Antwon Stapleton and Freddy Rule are qualified in the triple jump and high jump respectively, while distance runner Brittani Christensen is qualified in the 3,000 meter steeplechase. Sprinters Emmanuel Daux and Anthony Acklin are each qualified in the men's 110 meter hurdles.
Competition will begin Saturday at 10 a.m. with the women's hammer and javelin. Running events will begin at noon with the final event, the men's 4x400 meter relay, starting at approximately 5:45 p.m. Results can be found at www.siusalukis.com following the conclusion of competition.
