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HORNET MEN SECOND AT MIAA INDOOR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS

March 1, 2009-The Emporia State men’s track & field team had six individual championships and six runner-up performances as they finished second at the MIAA Indoor Championships in Warrensburg, Mo. ESU finished 13.33 points behind host UCM and they were the only two schools to go over 100 points. The ESU women finished sixth with two championships and a runner-up finish.

"Another second place finish. We were trying to break through and win one - our first ever in the men and we came very close," said ESU head coach Dave Harris. "This mens team challenged UCM in each event right down through the end. It is tough to beat them at home and everyone knows they have the strongest depth in the conference."

Vincent Howze led the Hornets with 21 points to earn MIAA Freshman of the Year honors. The Raymore, Mo. native won the 400m and 60m hurdles and was on the fourth place 4x440 yard relay team. His time of 8.17 in the 60m hurdles is the second fastest time in ESU history behind Dustin Brock’s 7.94 set at the NCAA Championships in 2001. He is currently ranked 14 th in the nation in the hurdles. He is the third Hornet to win MIAA Freshman of the Year in the last three league meets, joining Kenton Lonberger at the 2008 indoor championships and Josh Honeycutt at the 2008 outdoor championships.

Craig Saalfeld, Samuel Williams, Josh Honeycutt and Adam McGovern all scored 18 points for the Hornets. Saalfeld earned the first indoor heptathlon championship in MIAA history with 5,175 points, currently the third best mark in the nation. He came back after competing in the seven events of the heptathlon to finish second on misses in the high jump with a provisional qualifying mark of 6-08.75.

Williams won the 60m and finished second to 2008 indoor national champion Bryan Haynes of Ft. Hays State. He ran provisional qualifiers in both events.

Honeycutt went 23-05.25 to win his first MIAA long jump championship but came up short in his attempt to defend his triple jump title. He jumped 49-03.50 to place second after winning the 2008 indoor and outdoor triple jump titles.

Adam McGovern finished second in the 800m, mile and distance medley relay for ESU.

"We had four men who scored between 18 and 20 points," said Harris. "We took them on with a small group of men and really had the Mules concerned when we went ahead with three events left."

Alex Pyle picked up the other individual championship for ESU. He won the high jump by going 6-08.75 before returning to Emporia to start for the Hornet basketball team in their 87-74 Senior Night win over Ft. Hays State.

Kenton Lonberger, the high point scorer at last year’s MIAA Indoor Championships, pulled a hamstring in the prelims of the 200m was only able to jog in the finals of the 60m after qualifying in third place. Matt Koelling placed eighth in the triple jump, but injured his hamstring on his second jump and was not able to continue in the meet.

"Our injuries to Lonberger and Koelling took us out of a possible 20-25 points, that hurt but they are a part of the sport," said Harris. "Many men stepped up to finish way above where they went in on the form charts and we need everyone of them."

The second place finish for the Hornet men is their best showing at the MIAA Indoor Championships since finishing second in 1998, although ESU has been third five times since then including last season.

The ESU women finished sixth in the team standing, just one point out of fifth, after placing second last season.

"On the women's side we were disappointed with our showing. After finishing second last year we were expecting to be up in the scoring," said Harris. "Nebraska Omaha had a great meet and cut into some of our sprint points. We need to train now for a better showing outdoors."

Katie Mona won the women’s Freshman of the Year award with 18.5 points. She anchored the distance medley relay team of Kathryn Davison, Tiffany Baum, and Christy Weller to the championship in an MIAA record time of 12:20.94. She placed second in the mile in a provisional qualifying time of 5:02.02, third in the 800m and fifth in the 3000m.

Brooke Kent added 17 points for ESU. She defended her championship in the long jump, going 18-02.50, tying UCM’s Anne Carlson but winning the championship based on her next best jump. Kent was third in the 60m and placed sixth in the 200m.

"I was really pleased that we took home the freshman of the year honors with both Katie and Vincent," said Harris. "They were shouldering a big load this weekend and came through as high point freshmen honors."

ESU will now wait to find out who will be making the trip to Houston, Texas for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships. The field will be announced early this week.  

###HORNETS###