BOLIVAR, Mo. -- SBU Track and Field truly believes in the statement that records are meant to be broken.  This season the men and women have broken a total of six indoor track and field records.  This past weekend two more records were broken, the men’s mile and the women’s 4x400 meter relay.  Coach McElhaney, “I cannot believe every meet this year at least one record has been broken.  Our athletes are working so hard and seeing the benefits of that hard work at the meets.  Not only have our athletes been breaking records, several are running what runners call PR’s.  A PR is a personal record or career best.  This past weekend we had twenty-one personal records.  That is a huge number and means so much to me and the athletes.  I am so proud of each and every one of them.” 

SBU had split squads this weekend while Coach McElhaney took the #8 nationally ranked Distance Medley Relay to Iowa State University, and Coach Adkison took majority of the team to the MSSU Radio Shack Invite.  To Start Saturday off with a bang, junior Michael Pierce placed 9^th in the men’s mile at Iowa State University.  His time of 4:07.80 not only broke TJay Sanderson’s school record, it also was an automatic qualifying time for the NCAA National meet held at Minnesota State University – Mankato.  The winner of the mile ran a 4:01.45 and was from Michigan State University. Coach McElhaney, “To take what Steve Prefontaine once said, his race was a beautiful work of art.  Usually a runner can run a great time but I can find some mistake they made or something they should have done different.  Today I was speechless, he ran an amazing race.  One thing we talked about right after his race was how God blessed him so much. I truly believe that and so does Michael.” 

Two members of the Distance Medley relay team also ran open events at ISU.  Shawn Etzenhouser provisionally qualified with his 1:53.40 but was a half second slower than his previous mark.  Freshman, Nathaniel Rogers improved his personal record by half a second running a 1:55.61.   

The Iowa State Classis proved to be a great experience but SBU runners also hit high marks at the Missouri Southern Radio Shack Invitational.  SBU men and women had 14 top five finishes and nineteen people run their personal best’s in their events.   

Women’s Results

To start things off Jenny Blair placed 4^th in the 200 meter dash with a 26.17, this time currently ranks her 2^nd in the MIAA.  Jennifer Gillespie and Katie Ware also ran personal bests in this event with a 26.50 and 27.88.  In the 400 meter dash Jenny Blair placed 2^nd with a 59.64 while Jennifer Gillepsie ran a 61.13 to place 9^th place.   

In the women’s Invitational mile Kelsi Chowning ran a 5:16.68 in the mile to claim 3^rd place, this time is also a college best for Kelsi.   

In the women’s 600 yard run Bolivar High School standout Kassidy Porter placed 4^th with a 1:29.48, her time also ranks her in the top 6 in the MIAA.   

In the women’s 800 meter Alyssa Maggart and Kelsi Chowning place 3^rd and 5^th running 2:22 and 2:24. Chrisitine Flippin also ran an indoor best in the 800 with a 2:32 placing her 12^th out of 26.   

The women’s 3,000 meter had a close call to the school record, which is currently held by Christine McElhaney (Showler).  Her record of 10:34 had a scare from Sophomore Courtney Ayers.  Ayers placed 4^th place behind two Division I runners while running a 10:40.08. Chelsea Strahm also placed 9^th with her 11:09.68, Kristen Colon ran a PR of 11:16.84 which placed her 11^th, and Rebecca Brigance ran a PR of 11:33.70 and placed 13^th

Courtney Ayes also came back in the 5,000 the next night and place 4^th with a time of 18:41.35. This time has her in the top 8 in the MIAA.  Kristen Colon ran another PR with a 19:34.24 to place 10^th.  

The women’s 4x400 meter relay also run a school record while placing 4^th.  Their time of 4:04.61 betters their mark by right under half a second. Members on that relay were Jenny Blair, Jennifer Gillespie, Kassidy Porter and Alyssa Maggart.  
 
 

Men’s Results

Jeremy Glassmaker placed 2^nd in the mile with a 4:24 which currently ranks him number 8 in the MIAA. Vince Tichenor also ran a PR with his 4:31.99.  Senior Austin Robidou ran the race of his life this weekend.  It has always been his goal to break the 5:00 minute barrier in the mile.  He has had several near misses but finally made if official this weekend by running a 4:56.94, barely edging teammate Andrew Denbow who also broke the 5:00 barrier running a 4:57.36 

In the mens 600 yard Jesse Kueker and Eric Johnson placed 5^th and 6^th with their 1:16.72 and 1:16.99 times. 

In the mens 3,000 meter run Michael McCampbell placed 6^th place running a huge PR of 9:08.71.  David Hackney also ran in the 3,000 meter running a 9:28.25 also a personal record.   

McCampbell came back the next day and placed 4^th in the men’s 5,000 meter run with a time of 15:36.69, just one second off his personal record.  Cameron Ayers also made his Debut in the 5,000 running a 16:03.99 placing 9^th. David Hackney placed 11^th with a 16:19, Caleb Loya and Patrick Steffen ran 16:51 and 16:55 to place 17^th and 18^th in the 27 runner field.  

Coach McElhaney, “My phone was ringing off the hook while in Ames.  Either my assistant coaches or athletes were calling to tell me all the good news that was happening.  So many people ran great times and performed higher than even they could ever have imagined.  We have two weeks till conference and I hope everyone keeps improving the way they have been. ” 

Next week a select group of the track and field team will travel to the Nebraska Prairie Wolf Invitational held in Lincoln, NE.  February 29^th and March 1^st SBU will travel to the MIAA Conference Championships held in Joplin, MO at Missouri Southern University.  

ISU complete results:

http://www.cyclones.com/fls/10700/track_live/index.htm?SPSID=94169&SPID=11526&DB_OEM_ID=10700 

MSSU complete results:

http://www.mssu.edu/athletics/womenstrackandfield/2008/RadioShackResults.htm