According to Southeast Missouri State University track and field coach Joey Haines, fans won't be disappointed if they come out to Saturday's quadrangular meet at the Abe Stuber Track & Field Complex.

"It should be an excellent meet and we encourage people to come out," said Haines. "One of the things that has really hurt track and field in the last few years is that it has not been a good spectator sport. The meets just have lasted too long. People just don't want to come out and watch an eight-hour meet.

"But with this quad meet, each team enters two people in every event so there are no heats, just finals. The meet will be over in less than three hours."

Joining Southeast in the 1 p.m. meet will be Ohio Valley Conference rivals Murray State, Tennessee-Martin and Austin Peay.

Haines said Southeast should be favored in both the men's and women's divisions, but he believes the women's meet will be particularly interesting.

"Things will be really, really competitive with the women," Haines said. "Austin Peay and Tennessee-Martin are the most improved teams in the OVC and there will be some great individual matchups."

The women's 800-meter race will feature the past two OVC indoor champions. Austin Peay's Shanna Gooding won this year's OVC indoor title when Southeast's Tammy Wenkel, the 1998 indoor champ, was out with an injury.

Wenkel is now healthy and she will battle Gooding and this year's OVC indoor runnerup, Sasha Vitalis of Tennessee-Martin.

"That should be a really good race," Haines said.

The women's 400-meters should also be exciting. Southeast's Heather Keltner won the OVC indoor title while Austin Peay's Selena Lockridge was second.

Another exciting women's race should be the 4x400 relay. Austin Peay won the OVC indoor title but Tennessee-Martin and Southeast have the fastest outdoor times so far.

Southeast had won three straight OVC titles in the 4x400 but had injury problems during this year's indoor season. The Otahkians' team of Kim Stewart, Hannah Stuckenschneider, Wenkel and Keltner will be ready to go.

"That should be a battle," said Haines.

The Otahkians could be hampered by an ankle injury suffered by standout weight thrower Lutricia Purham. She is questionable for Saturday's meet.

On the men's side, Haines said he expects strong performances from many of his athletes, including Tyson Brown in the 800, Jason Campbell in the 400, Derrick Brown in the 100 and 200, Glenn Haley in the hurdles and weight throwers Bryan Alfultis and Brandon Myer.

"Our men have turned into a pretty good track team," Haines said. "They've really improved."