OTAHKIANS SWEEP OVC TRACK TITLES

CHARLESTON, Ill. -- Southeast Missouri State University's women's track team made it a clean Ohio Valley Conference sweep here Saturday.

The Otahkians, who won the OVC indoor meet in February, captured the OVC outdoor meet that was hosted by Eastern Illinois over the weekend.

Southeast finished with 201 points to easily win the 10-team meet. Eastern Kentucky (130) was a distant second while Middle Tennessee (89) finished third.

By virtue of the Otahkians' performance, Southeast's Joey Haines was named OVC Women's Coach of the Year.

"This was by far and away our best OVC meet ever," said Haines. "We really didn't have any disappointments. It was sort of like a storybook. The women did everything needed to win and won handily."

On the men's side, Southeast was third out of 10 teams with 125 points. Host Eastern Illinois rolled to the title with 203 points while Middle Tennessee was second with 147.

Southeast's women won eight events, including both relays.

Shannon O'Dell, having a sensational senior season, led the Otahkians by winning both hurdles races (the 100 in 14.05 seconds and the 400 in 1:01.01) and leading off the victorious 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.

Haines was disappointed O'Dell didn't get the outstanding female athlete award. That honor went to Eastern Kentucky's Jamie King, who won the 1,500 and 3,000 and placed third in the 800.

Others placing first for the Otahkians were Heather Denihan in the long jump (18-10), Heather Fisher in the high jump (5-4 1/4), Denise Ford in the javelin (120-4) and Yvonne Hente in the 400 (54.98).

In relay events, the 4x100 team of O'Dell, Hente, Kim Stewart and Shauna Birge clocked 46.20 while the 4x400 group of O'Dell, Stewart, Tammy Wenkel and Hente timed 3:45.33.

Finishing second for the Otahks were Ford (shot put), Birge (100), Wenkel (800), Hente (200), Gray C. Harris (triple jump) and Janelle Quigley (1,500).

Placing third were Danielle Roussel (javelin), Jennifer Phillips (shot put), Jennifer Anderson (10,000) and Sherry Lange (5,000).

Fourth were Heather Denihan (high jump), Ford (discus), Anderson (5,000) and Quigley (3,000) while fifth were Phillips (javelin, discus), Candace Parker (400 hurdles) and Leslie McNamara (10,000).

On the men's side, Matt Gaylor and Randy Johnson led the way. Gaylor won both the shot put (50-2 3/4) and discus (158-7) while Johnson defended his javelin title (207-9).

The Indians' only second-place performance was turned in by Chris Prescott (pole vault).

Finishing third were Erin Roades (10,000), Tim Davis (pole vault) and the 4x100 relay team of Neil Birchler, DeWayne Johnson, Ryan Steck and Derrick Brown.

Fourth were Eugene Staten (long jump), Dorian Orr (high jump), Johnson (100), Chris Moore (pole vault) and Bryan Alfultis (discus) while fifth were Jim Rhea (shot put), Scott Tate (110 hurdles), Aaron Wade (800), Johnson (200) and the 4x400 relay squad of Johnson, Brock Alspaugh, Steve Hall and Neil Birchler.