The home strech
Men 2nd, women 5th at MIAA championships
Josh Letner
Issue date: 5/7/09 Section: Sports
JOPLIN, MO. - The Pitt State track and field team had a strong showing last weekend at the MIAA Outdoor Championships at Fred Hughes Stadium on the campus of Missouri Southern.
The men's team finished second overall with 168 points behind Central Missouri. The Gorilla women amassed 93 points for a fifth-place finish. Missouri Southern won the women's title with 149 points.
Junior Brian Allen won a pair of titles and earned the MIAA men's high point honors. Allen won the discus and the hammer and took second in the shot put. Allen's hammer throw of 204 feet, 6 inches set a school record.
Allen's effort earned him the MIAA Field Athlete of the Week honors, which were announced on Tuesday.
Senior Braden Hayes finished third in the discus and the hammer, earning All-MIAA honors.
The Gorillas also took the top three spots in the javelin as sophomore Mike Beeler, junior John McCoy and redshirt freshman Travis Lee placed first, second and third respectively.
Sophomore Ethan Hobbs brought home a conference title in the pole vault, clearing 15 feet, 11.75 inches.
On the track, MJ Hassaballa won the 1,500 meters and placed third in the 5,000 meters. Junior Jeremy Jackson placed second in the 110-meter hurdles, and junior Tim Testa finished second in the 800 meters. The Gorillas' 4-by-100 relay team also finished second with a time of 3 minutes, 17.28 seconds.
On the women's side, senior distance runner Venessa Lee won her 13th career MIAA title with a first-place finish in the 1,500 meters. Lee also came in second in the 800 meters.
Senior Sara Thurber won a conference title in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.36 seconds. Three other Gorillas earned All-MIAA honors. Sophomore Brittany Graff finished third in the 5,000 meters, sophomore Michelle Mitchell placed third in the pole vault, and sophomore Heidi Smith finished third in the shot put.
The Gorillas will be back in action on Saturday, May 9, as they take part in the Emporia State Twilight Meet in Emporia. It will be the final meet before the Gorillas compete in the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships on May 21-23 in San Angelo, Texas.
The men's team finished second overall with 168 points behind Central Missouri. The Gorilla women amassed 93 points for a fifth-place finish. Missouri Southern won the women's title with 149 points.
Junior Brian Allen won a pair of titles and earned the MIAA men's high point honors. Allen won the discus and the hammer and took second in the shot put. Allen's hammer throw of 204 feet, 6 inches set a school record.
Allen's effort earned him the MIAA Field Athlete of the Week honors, which were announced on Tuesday.
Senior Braden Hayes finished third in the discus and the hammer, earning All-MIAA honors.
The Gorillas also took the top three spots in the javelin as sophomore Mike Beeler, junior John McCoy and redshirt freshman Travis Lee placed first, second and third respectively.
Sophomore Ethan Hobbs brought home a conference title in the pole vault, clearing 15 feet, 11.75 inches.
On the track, MJ Hassaballa won the 1,500 meters and placed third in the 5,000 meters. Junior Jeremy Jackson placed second in the 110-meter hurdles, and junior Tim Testa finished second in the 800 meters. The Gorillas' 4-by-100 relay team also finished second with a time of 3 minutes, 17.28 seconds.
On the women's side, senior distance runner Venessa Lee won her 13th career MIAA title with a first-place finish in the 1,500 meters. Lee also came in second in the 800 meters.
Senior Sara Thurber won a conference title in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.36 seconds. Three other Gorillas earned All-MIAA honors. Sophomore Brittany Graff finished third in the 5,000 meters, sophomore Michelle Mitchell placed third in the pole vault, and sophomore Heidi Smith finished third in the shot put.
The Gorillas will be back in action on Saturday, May 9, as they take part in the Emporia State Twilight Meet in Emporia. It will be the final meet before the Gorillas compete in the NCAA Division II Outdoor National Championships on May 21-23 in San Angelo, Texas.
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