Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Track and Field sends five to NCAA Championships
06/06/2011 | 12:00:00 | Track and Field
June 6, 2011
By Bill Ford
SIUSalukis.com
MEET INFORMATION
Dates: Wednesday, June 8 - Saturday, June 11
Location: Des Moines, Iowa
Site: Drake Stadium, Drake University
NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship Information
Full NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship Schedule
SCHEDULE FOR SIU ATHLETES
Wednesday, June 8
6 p.m. -- Jake Deiters, Discus
Thursday, June 9
3 p.m. -- J.C. Lambert, Hammer Throw
8:50 p.m. -- Jeff Schirmer, 10,000 Meters
Friday, June 10
3 p.m. -- Gwen Berry / Jeneva McCall, Hammer Throw
Saturday, June 11
11 a.m. -- Gwen Berry / Jeneva McCall, Shot Put
SIU ATHLETES COMPETING
Gwen Berry
Shot Put, Hammer Throw
Berry advances to her third NCAA Finals, having qualified in the hammer throw the past two seasons. This will mark her first time competing in the shot put at nationals. Berry punched her ticket to the Finals with a fourth-place finish in the hammer throw (203-07) and a ninth-place finish in the shot put (52-11.50) at the NCAA West Regional. The St. Louis native finished fourth in the hammer at 2010 national finals to earn her first outdoor All-American honor. She enters nationals ranked first in the country in the hammer after posting the nation's top mark of 231-04 March 25 at the Drake Relays. Berry won her first MVC outdoor title in the shot put May 14 with a career-best throw of 55-09.00, which ranks 13th in the nation. That mark also ranks second in school history.
Jake Deiters
Discus
A two-time MVC champion in the discus, Deiters advances to his second NCAA Finals in the event. Last season, Deiters took eighth at nationals to earn his first All-America honor. The Breese, Ill., native earned his way to Des Moines by placing eighth in the discus at the NCAA West Regional with a throw of 181-04. Deiters ranks 15th in the nation in the discus with his career-best throw of 188-11 from April 1 at the Joey Haines Invite. That mark ranks second in school history.
J.C. Lambert
Hammer Throw
Lambert enters his second NCAA Final after placing ninth in the hammer throw at the West Regional with a throw of 207-11. A two-time MVC champion in the hammer, Lambert finished 13th at the 2010 NCAA Finals, earning his first outdoor All-America honor. The Harrisburg, Ill., native posted a career-best toss of 212-09 March 25 at the SIU Spring Classic, a mark that ranks 16th in the nation for the season and third in SIU history. Lambert is also a two-time MVC champion and a two-time All-Amercan in the indoor weight throw.
Jeneva McCall
Shot Put, Hammer Throw
McCall enters the NCAA Finals in both events for the second consecutive year. The Dolton, Ill., native had SIU's best showing at the West Regional, placing second in the hammer throw with a mark of 220-07 and third in the shot put with a throw of 54-01.25. The Saluki junior finished fifth in both events at the 2010 NCAA Finals in addition to landing a national championship in the discus. McCall goes into the finals ranked in the top 15 nationally in both events. Her career-best hammer throw mark of 223-04 April 22 at the Vanderbilt Invitational ranks fourth and her career-best shot put mark of 55-07.75 May 13 at the MVC Championships ranks 15th. McCall's top career marks in both events rank in the top three in school history.
Jeff Schirmer
10,000 Meters
A fifth-year senior, Schirmer enters his second NCAA Final in the 10k after finishing seventh at the West Regional in a time of 29:14.91. The Troy, Ill., native finished 21st in the 10k at the 2009 NCAA Finals. Schirmer broke the SIU and MVC records in the 10k with a time of 28:42.71 April 14 at the Mt. SAC Relays. That time ranks ninth in the nation entering the NCAA Finals. He won MVC titles in 10k, 5k and 1,500-meter run to earn 2011 MVC Most Valuable Athlete honors. A two-time cross country All-American, Schirmer has won a combined 19 MVC titles between cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field during his Saluki career.
Players Mentioned
