Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Photo by: Will Becque
Track and Field heads to Joey Haines Invitational
03/30/2017 | 1:11:00 | Track and Field
The Southern Illinois track and field team heads to Cape Girardeau, Mo. to take part in the Joey Haines Invitational, hosted by SEMO, beginning on Friday, March 31.Â
12 teams are scheduled to compete at the two-day event, including Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, Marquette, DePaul, Memphis and SIU-Edwardsville, amongst others.
"We are treating this meet as not only the second outdoor meet of the season, but we are going to continue to train through this meet to get ready for next week's meet at Tennessee. It's nice to compete locally for these first two meets so that we can put our athletes in different events and can pick and choose who competes in what event."
The Salukis and Raske will be looking at the Joey Haines Invitational as a springboard for next weekend's Tennessee Relays.Â
"The Tennessee Relays will be are first look at where we are at," Raske said. "We are going to put everything out there. It's an interesting meet because we not only have an opportunity to go after our individual events, but on the track Saturday are all relays. So we will have a chance to run some fun relays and to go after some school records."
The Joey Haines Invitational opens Friday night with the women's and men's hammer throw as well as the 10,000-meter run. The women's hammer competition kicks off the meet at 3:30 p.m., and will also serve as the outdoor opener for 2016 Olympian DeAnna Price. Price is coming off an indoor season in which she finished second in the weight at the 2017 U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships.
"Competing on Friday night fits in with (Price's) work schedule," Rakse said. "DeAnna is going to pick and choose which meets to compete at this season as she continues to balance work, training and competition."
Southern is coming off its first, and only, home meet of the season. The Bill Cornell Spring Classic was highlighted by the Saluki women's 4x100 relay team of Mystique Thompson, Shafiqua Maloney, Tyjuana Eason and Bri'Anna Branch breaking the school record for the event, which had stood since 2004.Â
"I'm very optimistic about what foursome is going to do down the road," Raske said. "We are fully expecting them to only get better and drop their time, especially as they continue to get more comfortable with handoffs. Given the windy conditions this past Saturday, it was a great meet and a good first time out for our 4x100 relay team."
The Salukis also swept the Missouri Valley Conference Field Athletes of the Week, as Freya Block claimed the weekly honor for the fourth time this season, while Kyle Landon was honored as the MVC Field Athlete of the Week for the ninth time in his career.
Block currently ranks fourth in the west region, and fifth in the NCAA in the hammer while Landon is ranked in the top-15 in the west region in the triple, long and high jumps, which includes the top high jump clearance in the NCAA. The Chester, Ill. native is the only jumper, male or female, to currently rank in the top-15 of all three jumps in either region.Â
Saturday's festivities begin with five events scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Running events are set to begin at 12 p.m.Â
Friday, March 31
3:30 p.m.    Women's Hammer Throw (followed by men)
6:45 p.m. Â Â 10,000m Run (combined men and women)
Saturday, April 1
Running Events
12 p.m. Â Â Â Â 3000m Steeplechase (W/M)
12:30 p.m.   4x100m Relay (W/M)
12:50 p.m.   1,500m Run (W/M)
1:25 p.m. Â Â Â 100m/110m Hurdles (W/M)
1:45 p.m. Â Â Â 400m Dash (W/M)
2:10 p.m. Â Â Â 100m Dash (W/M)
2:30 p.m. Â Â Â Greek 4x100m (exhibition)Â
2:40 p.m. Â Â Â Southeast Senior RecognitionÂ
2:55 p.m. Â Â Â 800m Run (W/M)
3:30 p.m. Â Â Â 400m Hurdles (W/M)
3:50 p.m. Â Â Â 200m Dash (W/M)
4:15 p.m. Â Â Â 5000m Run (W/M)
5 p.m.          4x400m Relay (W/M)
Field Events
11 a.m.      Shot Put (M/W)
11 a.m.      Discus (W/M)
11 a.m.      Long Jump (M/W)
11 a.m.      High Jump (W/M)
11 a.m.      Men's Pole VaultÂ
2 p.m.      Women's Pole VaultÂ
3 p.m.      Triple Jump (M/W)
3 p.m.      Javelin (W/M)
12 teams are scheduled to compete at the two-day event, including Middle Tennessee, Arkansas State, Marquette, DePaul, Memphis and SIU-Edwardsville, amongst others.
"We are treating this meet as not only the second outdoor meet of the season, but we are going to continue to train through this meet to get ready for next week's meet at Tennessee. It's nice to compete locally for these first two meets so that we can put our athletes in different events and can pick and choose who competes in what event."
The Salukis and Raske will be looking at the Joey Haines Invitational as a springboard for next weekend's Tennessee Relays.Â
"The Tennessee Relays will be are first look at where we are at," Raske said. "We are going to put everything out there. It's an interesting meet because we not only have an opportunity to go after our individual events, but on the track Saturday are all relays. So we will have a chance to run some fun relays and to go after some school records."
The Joey Haines Invitational opens Friday night with the women's and men's hammer throw as well as the 10,000-meter run. The women's hammer competition kicks off the meet at 3:30 p.m., and will also serve as the outdoor opener for 2016 Olympian DeAnna Price. Price is coming off an indoor season in which she finished second in the weight at the 2017 U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships.
"Competing on Friday night fits in with (Price's) work schedule," Rakse said. "DeAnna is going to pick and choose which meets to compete at this season as she continues to balance work, training and competition."
Southern is coming off its first, and only, home meet of the season. The Bill Cornell Spring Classic was highlighted by the Saluki women's 4x100 relay team of Mystique Thompson, Shafiqua Maloney, Tyjuana Eason and Bri'Anna Branch breaking the school record for the event, which had stood since 2004.Â
"I'm very optimistic about what foursome is going to do down the road," Raske said. "We are fully expecting them to only get better and drop their time, especially as they continue to get more comfortable with handoffs. Given the windy conditions this past Saturday, it was a great meet and a good first time out for our 4x100 relay team."
The Salukis also swept the Missouri Valley Conference Field Athletes of the Week, as Freya Block claimed the weekly honor for the fourth time this season, while Kyle Landon was honored as the MVC Field Athlete of the Week for the ninth time in his career.
Block currently ranks fourth in the west region, and fifth in the NCAA in the hammer while Landon is ranked in the top-15 in the west region in the triple, long and high jumps, which includes the top high jump clearance in the NCAA. The Chester, Ill. native is the only jumper, male or female, to currently rank in the top-15 of all three jumps in either region.Â
Saturday's festivities begin with five events scheduled to start at 11 a.m. Running events are set to begin at 12 p.m.Â
Friday, March 31
3:30 p.m.    Women's Hammer Throw (followed by men)
6:45 p.m. Â Â 10,000m Run (combined men and women)
Saturday, April 1
Running Events
12 p.m. Â Â Â Â 3000m Steeplechase (W/M)
12:30 p.m.   4x100m Relay (W/M)
12:50 p.m.   1,500m Run (W/M)
1:25 p.m. Â Â Â 100m/110m Hurdles (W/M)
1:45 p.m. Â Â Â 400m Dash (W/M)
2:10 p.m. Â Â Â 100m Dash (W/M)
2:30 p.m. Â Â Â Greek 4x100m (exhibition)Â
2:40 p.m. Â Â Â Southeast Senior RecognitionÂ
2:55 p.m. Â Â Â 800m Run (W/M)
3:30 p.m. Â Â Â 400m Hurdles (W/M)
3:50 p.m. Â Â Â 200m Dash (W/M)
4:15 p.m. Â Â Â 5000m Run (W/M)
5 p.m.          4x400m Relay (W/M)
Field Events
11 a.m.      Shot Put (M/W)
11 a.m.      Discus (W/M)
11 a.m.      Long Jump (M/W)
11 a.m.      High Jump (W/M)
11 a.m.      Men's Pole VaultÂ
2 p.m.      Women's Pole VaultÂ
3 p.m.      Triple Jump (M/W)
3 p.m.      Javelin (W/M)
Players Mentioned
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Jumps
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Throws
/ Track and Field
Sprints
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